Love and Fortitude
by PrinceStan
Summary: Helga's living with her single dad. Arnold has his parents and abundance of popularity. Now they're starting their last year of high school belonging in two completely worlds it seems. Can they look beyond that and find each other? Rated M for sexual adult language.
1. Chapter 1

Hearing her alarm shrieking the words rise and shine over and over again she reached over and turned it off. It's the first day of school and school is merely a necessary evil for her. Unlike her best friend who feels her most energized and excited on school grounds, Helga usually feels indifferent. However, today she actually feels excited because this is the first day of our last year. Now a seventeen-year-old she is finally entering her senior year; which means she's not too far off from being independent and eventually leaving this city.

She lives with her now a single dad, you remember him. How could you not? He is Robert "Big Bob" Pataki the beeper king. Now his business; while still open isn't anywhere near as lucrative, despite jumping into the cell phone lane. As for her mom, well she made some positive changes. She stops drinking and with her fully sober mind she met and fell in love with a wealthier man and divorced her father. Unfortunately, it also felt like she divorced Helga at the same time; since it isn't often that they speak.

She gets dressed and conducts her usual routine of fixing breakfast and waking up her father. "Morning, Dad! It's 7 am in the morning and you need to get up."

As usual, he groans and argues against breaking away from the comfort of his bed but eventually he rolls out of bed and grouchily slumps into the kitchen to shove down the breakfast she prepared.

Helga glances at her reflection in the mirror. Her style isn't at all mainstream; by the standards of most of the popular kids at her school. The only thing Helga changed was her monobrow and that was only because she got sick of it around age thirteen. She knew that if she made more of an extra effort to dress like other girls she could have better chances with the opposite sex, but it just wasn't in her to follow the crowd just please others. She smiles confidently at herself because she's proud of the person that she's become.

Walking outside to see her car coming into the view, she brings her hands into a prayer pose. _Thank God for my beautiful car._ It's a used Acura that she saved up the money she earned from her part-time job and bought from one of her father's colleagues.

Bob and Helga no longer live on the same street of their former years because of changes in finances, so now she doesn't live as close to her best friend Phoebe and other classmates. But the drive gives and giving her a ride to school has been like a daily school routine of ours since she gotten a car, it's not often the two of them had many opportunities to spend with together throughout the school year. Phoebe was and still is very involved in well... everything you can imagine except for sports.

Phoebe flies out the door with the brightest smile on her face. She's always over-joyous on the first day of school or any day of school. She respects that about her petite friend. Everyone needs their passions and hobbies.

She climbs in. "Hello, Helga. Thank you again for this ride." Phoebe checks out her appearance. "Oh, Helga I love seeing the clothes you come up with. I wish I had the guts to put together items that on the surface you would not believe blend together."

Helga shakes her head and is amused by her comment. "I don't know if that's a compliment or a dig."

"I definitely meant that as a compliment Helga."

Approaching the school all she needed to do is a glimpse at the student parking to know there isn't a chance in hell that she'll find a spot so she just parallel parks on the street not too far from the school.

Walking to the building my eyes work overtime to take in all the different face some familiar and unfamiliar. She spots a very familiar and also very favorable person from ahead of her. He's the boy she's been in love with for years, at present she still is except now.. well actually ever since high school started she's had an easy time avoiding an encounter because of a little thing called cliques.

She views him and his group of friends as from a totally different world. They are trendy, conventionally good looking, well liked and accepted by all and she isn't really any of those things. And that was because she had no interest in being any of those things, not because she is some pretentious poser, but because she simply has her own style and vision for herself. Helga could never picture herself dressed like… she stops due to seeing a certain bubbly girl with red hair girl approaching and she decides to retreat as quickly as possible. Yeah, she's the standard that most girls here model themselves after and lots of guys held up as their dream girl. She was, in fact, the girl of his dreams for years and probably still is. But her reason for retreating wasn't due to jealousy, she had moved on from that, but it was because she had gotten to know the real person underneath over the summer and she didn't at all like the person she discovered.

She has to watch as this redhead goes over to the very boy she loves and runs her hand down his arm with her typical bright smile and pleasantry, he seems to be enjoying her presence and because she finds it too hard to witness she looks away to see another good friend. Thaddeus, better known as Curly. Helga rushes up the stairs to him. Because of her rushing, she accidentally bumps into a fellow blond, except this one is a guy.

She glances at him and while doing this she can't help but see that Lila is still next to him. She mumbled her apologies and goes over to greet her best male friend Curly.

The guy she bumped into was, of course, Arnold. He grew up to be good looking, about average height, trendy style, athletic, popular with both sexes and overall good student.

A few minutes prior to gently colliding with Helga. He politely speaks with Lila, the girl who was once his ideal girl.

He stops walking and just stared ahead thinking about the fact that this is the start of a new school year with a downcast expression. Normally he would feel happy about the being back in school, but this is the first day of the last year of high school. There is so much he's done, but there are things he hasn't, people he hasn't connected with the way that he should have.

One of those people just brushed by him, his heart nearly stopped as she turned around to apologize quickly and runs off to join Curly. Helga. Most people don't agree or don't see what he does, what he took a moment to admire but Helga is a rare beauty in his eyes. What bothers him is that the only reason why people make fun of her and are not accepting is because of how she chooses to dress, the fact that she makes her own clothes or buys it second hand. But he could look at her, physically speaking and easily see flawless skin, bold features that complement each other perfectly, dark full eyebrows that gave her an exotic appearance because of the contrast against her blonde hair and blue eyes. He could see that she's thin, but has small curves in all the right places; he actually admires that she chooses to cover them up. Sometimes he wished those other guys could see what he did, but then a smaller part of him, his greedy side was happy and also felt special that he was one of the few - of his status, that could see Helga in such a highly positive light. He also knew that she is so much more than her retro unique style of clothing and reputation of being an oddball; who could have a vicious mean streak.

It might have seemed unlikely in the distant past, but he actually fell in love with her a year prior. His feelings for her started back in middle school when she went out of her way to help not only save the neighborhood but then a year later she helped in the quest to find his parents.

He went from at times bordering on hating the girl, to kind of liking her as a friend, to crushing on her, hard; harder than he did with Ruth or Lila. But before he could tell her, he moved away with my parents to San Lorenzo.

He was more than happy to return to Hillwood just in time for high school. Now he's lives with my parents in the boarding house which my parents now have taken off my grandfather's hands. He hasn't been the same since my grandmother passed away a year ago.

What happened around the time of his grandmother's death caused this young man to fall in love with Helga G. Pataki. She didn't come to the wake or the funeral or even the repast, but instead she secretly came over to help out around the house, anonymously sent flowers and wrote a beautiful speech and gave it to Phoebe to recite during the funeral. She said the most amazing things about his grandmother and his family in general. The only reason Arnold found out about it is because Phoebe got into an argument with Gerald about Helga because he was upset about her spending so much time with her. She and Gerald still did not get along, not because they couldn't, but from his perspective neither of them made an effort. During that argument and Pheobe accidentally let it slip out all the things Helga did for him. Phoebe didn't realize it but Arnold was in the next room and overheard everything.

He thought he would have been more confidence about confronting Helga about his feelings, but high school changed things. The gang had basically split up and formed into different cliques. The only people who were still friends were I and Gerald and Phoebe and Helga. Helga hung out with a lot of artsy or rock types. Being a jock he and Helga ran and still run in completely different crowds and unfortunately their paths rarely ever cross. They don't even have many classes together at all over the course of three years.

Right in this moment Arnold tries to follow her with his eyes as she maneuvers through the crowds. A guy that is simply a teammate named Brendan grabs his attention. He's actually more of a rival than a friend or even an associate. He is a guy that Arnold merely tolerates because they're on the basketball team together; this guy locates the source of Arnold's intense gaze and hysterically laughs.

This guy puts his arm around Arnold as he stares at Lila prance away in her mini skirt. "What are you doing staring at the swine of the school. Yet again. Instead of that hot piece of ass!"

Arnold brings his brows together while trying to keep his eyes on Helga who had walked far off. "What are you talking about?"

"You're gawking at that Hika girl instead of that smoking hot babe Lila Sawyer, who seems to be fending for you."

His eyes roll up. "Did you ever think that perhaps I'm not fending for Lila? And what do you care anyway."

"I don't exactly care Arthur." Arnold simply snickers at him calling him by the wrong name, he thought it was a lame attempt. "I'm just trying to figure out what you see in that chick. She's destined to be a cat lady. Look at her clothes."

Arnold lightly pushes his arm off of him. "I've already told you about talking badly about Helga."

He clasped his hand together and looks up. "Oh right, my bad, her name is Helga. But wait, Shortman, you claim that you like this girl so much and you're defending her and yet you never even asked her out yourself. Why is that? Don't worry Arnold... you don't have to answer that I know why because for the one you're a big chicken and two because underneath you're holier than thou image is a guy that thinks these things just like the rest of us."

"I don't care what you say about me. But I'm warning you to lay off her!"

But of course, he doesn't. "How do you pass up on some of the most beautiful girls in the school for a mutant? Come on Shortman, you know that girl is trash. Everyone in the school does." He leans in closer to the deeply pissed off guy to whisper something. "God are you so desperate for easy pussy that you lower yourself to that?"

Arnold scowls like no one ever seen before and punched Brendan right in the face. Everyone turns around to see Arnold; the last guy anyone expected to see get violent being escorted away by security guards.

Once Arnold was taken into the small room where they held detention during school hours; he realized that he allowed Brendan to win, to get so angry because this is a guy that always gave him a hard time. He was observant enough to know of Arnold's love for Helga and he insulted her simply to egg him on. The only time he didn't act like that was when their coach or his best friend Gerald was around. But what Arnold didn't fully realize is that Brendan had other intentions of getting his spot on the court and off.

 **End of chapter**

 ** _This is just something I'm testing out, I haven't written anything else. I don't know how long this story should be. And I'm not sure if it's worth finishing, but these ideas just came to mind and I thought to post it._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Guest - sorry about the switching back and forth between first person and third person. I had originally written the whole chapter in the first person but then I got annoyed with that & decided to change it, but I guess I overlooked some sentences. I have a habit of typing very quickly, I apologize for any errors that I've overlooked. Ty for reviewing. I wish I could actually see the other two:(**

Arnold is sitting in a small room across from an older teacher assigned to keep an eye on students taken to detention. For the first few minutes, he was just angry, angry at that Brendan guy for the things he said about Helga and the things he's said in the past. But slowly Arnold started thinking about the question he asked.

 _That asshole kind of has a point, why haven't you asked out Helga? You've liked -liked her since San Lorenzo and been in love with her for too long! Are you ashamed or scared of what people would think? Are you scared that she's moved on and is no longer in love with you like she said she was back in fourth grade?_ A very long sigh came out of his mouth. _You continue to let those rumors of you sleeping with Lila fly around… no that's not true because I've told people over and over again that's not true and they insist on continuing to spread them… so what can I do? People are going to keep making false statements… I try to keep our interactions to a minimal. But I don't want to be rude to her. Why doesn't she seem more disturbed about those rumors?_

Arnold puts his head in his hands and stays that way. He knows that getting into a physical fight will have some kind of negative effect on his status or position on the team. But he also has a clean record and has never been in a fight prior, therefore, he is hoping that his coach will take it easy on him.

His thoughts find their way back to Helga but that is nothing new at all, his thoughts are often centered on her. He knew now that really he wasn't that much better than Brendan and the other's who put her down or people similar to her.

Curly and Helga were too far away to have actually seen the fight, but of course, they got word of it.

"Did you hear about Arnold?" Curly asked Helga. "He actually got into a physical accusation with Brendan Sanders."

Helga frowned immediately when hearing that Arnold fought someone. "Brendan Sanders… isn't he also on the basketball team with Arnold?"

"Yep, he is."

"So what was the fight about? I couldn't imagine it would be over something petty because Arnold is too—"

He touches her arm. "That my friend depends on your definition of petty because I heard through the grapevine that it was all over a girl."

Helga slumps down in her seat. "Oh. Lila probably." She begins to shake her head. "But anyway…" She leaned closer to Curly. "Don't you ever let me hear about you fighting over some chick unless that girl is actually someone very special and dear to your heart." She opens her mouth to grin widely. "Like myself."

Her grin must be contagious because he mimics her expression. He reaches over with his hand and shakes hers with a crazy laugh. "You got yourself a deal babe."

Lila, Rhonda along with other girls walked into another one of Helga's classes, she chooses to sit in the front row. Her eyes were fixed on her notebook, but she could feel their judgmental stares. Eventually, she sat up to glare at each of them but cackled when she saw them look away quickly.

"Ugh, where does she get her clothes at the flea market? All that damn tacky pink is giving me a headache." One of them stated and she could hear the other girls laughing. Instead of retaliating like she used to in the past; which gained her the reputation of being a tough no nonsense cookie... she decided to just avoid the drama.

Since the teacher was very low key and not strict at all, Helga decided to get up and change her seat. She goes to the back and sat down next to Nadine; who she considered a friend as well.

"Do you notice that the hyenas only make noise when they know you're surrounded by them or when you're not looking. Don't get me wrong I can handle all of them by myself, I just chose not to, but they definitely seem to only talk shit when they see that their target is alone."

Nadine looked up from her book. She had become very studious and more on the introverted side. People made fun of hobbies and fascination with all sorts of bugs. Helga along with a few people didn't and accepted her for who she was. She looked over directly at the girls Helga was referring to. "Yes I've noticed, they do it to me all the time, but Rhonda... she's not like that she just has let herself become a follower."

Helga made an uncaring face and shrugged. "We all have choices in the social decisions we make, no one put a gun to that girl's head and said you better follow my rules of popularity or else." She looked at Nadine and felt a tad more sympathy because she and Rhonda use to be very close. "I know you miss her but thank God high school is almost over and all this bullshit and cliques might be over with. You think people would want to let it go since this is our last year but... OH well." She just shakes her head and goes back to sketching an outfit.

OXOXO

In the locker room changing for gym class she sighed and groaned loudly because she didn't expect to have to take physical education her senior year, but the school decided to make it mandatory for seniors as well.

The girl that made the comment before in class kept staring at her while they were in the locker room as she whispered to her friends and that continued until they got inside the gym area.

The students were all lined up to do a practice game of volleyball. The instructor went to each student and showed them how to serve the ball and also how to hold their hands to hit it back. The girl that kept whispering and glaring at Helga took her serve and instead of during a mock one like everyone else she literally hit the ball and purposely hit Helga. She put on her best performance and acted as though it was an accident and the teacher believed her.

When it was Helga's turn she kept her eyes on her target and spiked the ball; which hit the girl right in her nose. In response as the girl's nose started to bleed a little and she cried out in an over the top matter, Helga imitated the girl's bad acting. "Obviously, I'm not sorry for that and neither were you." She moved closer to the girl; who was now surrounded by people sympathizing with her and glaring daggers at Helga; with her hands on her hips knelt down to say one last thing. "You phony bitch."

"That's enough Pataki! You're out of here!" Her female gym teacher demanded and walked her out.

She was sent to the principal and because she wasn't at all remorseful and even argued back to the principal telling her that she hated how some people have clearly favored. A profane word even slipped out of her mouth and for that she was assigned detention.

Being lead to the detention office, she saw Curly speed walking down the stairs and towards her in a nearly frantic fashion. "Helga, Helga, are you alright? I heard you were taken to the principal's office. Are you in trouble still?"

He looked at the big male security guard giving him an impatient look. "Oh, well I guess you are. Call me and tell me later." Once he got further away he started to chant "Free Helga." a few times but a teacher came out and yelled at him to get out of the halls or he would be in trouble. Helga couldn't hold in a laugh but her expression vanished once she walked into the small room to see Arnold seating there now staring at her as if she was some kind of ghost.

 _Great now I'm in here with Mr. Goody two shoes himself, but hey he can't judge me and give me one of his moral lectures when he's in here himself._

She sat down with her arms crossed still fuming about everything that just took place. Arnold kept taking sneak peeks at her out of the corner of his eye. "Helga what happened why are you in here?"

The nonchalant teacher looked up from his newspaper with his prescription glasses down at the tip of his nose. "Hey, no talking."

Helga wasn't planning on responding anyway but after a few minutes, she saw a folded paper tossed to her desk. She peeked at him and with a quick eye roll she opened the paper. **You look upset what happened?**

Helga gave him a slanted look and picked up her pen reluctantly. **Criminy I'm in detention what do you fucking think? I got in trouble.** She wasn't necessarily upset at him but more so at the situation of getting in trouble. Disappointed in herself for letting someone she despised bring out the more vicious side of her and she was being punished for it. She also was annoyed that she ending up locked in a room with the boy she had been pining after for years and years. With a swift flick of her wrist, she tossed it back to land on his desk.

He opened it and immediately cringed at the harsh tone of her words as he read them but he took notice of the purple ink she still used and admired how beautiful her penmanship still was. Arnold was still the type to find the good in a lot of situations if possible. He ended up smiling because of the memory of her the poetry he read years ago, poetry he still takes out and reads every now and then; which he had later found out the little pink book belong to her. But he frowned while rereading her words on the paper, because he remembered that one reason why he never confronted Helga about his desires for her was also because of her standoffish behavior; which started once he came back to Hillwood at the start of his freshmen year. He didn't understand why she had never written back to him while he was gone but he figured she was trying to move on since he had been too chicken to officially tell her that he 'liked - liked' her at that time. He didn't completely blame her since he did begin dating Lila not too long after he returned because she had been one of the few people aside from Gerald who had written him back.

At the time he clung to his past feelings for her in order to distract him from his increasing and much deeper fondness for Helga. Eventually, after dating her for a while he realized that he was simply using her and he felt incredibly bad and confessed to Lila about everything regarding Helga and how he no longer felt the same attraction for her. He broke things off with her at the time as well; that was a sophomore year to be exact. He was angry at himself for taking nearly a year to break it off with Lila and that currently, he hadn't spilled out anything to the girl he loved. She had no idea and that was killing him inside that he hadn't made her his girlfriend.

He peeked again at Helga and wrote something else. **Did you hit someone? Is that why you're here?**

Her eyes narrowed at the question. **Of course. Helga G. Pataki gets in trouble it just has to be for hitting someone. As in I initiated things. Right? It would have to have been totally my fault. It couldn't have been in self-defense.** She tossed it to him more aggressively, she loved and hated her reputation of being both quick to throw up her fist and to assault people with her tongue had followed her throughout the years.

He frowned at her response and shook his head as he started to write. **Helga, I didn't say any of that. I'm sure you know by now that I got into a fight and that's why I'm here. A fight I started by the way. I'm in no position to judge you if that's what you think I'm doing. I don't think everything is totally your fault. I know and have witnessed people picking at you waiting for you to explode. I'm positive you being here wasn't completely your fault. I wish you didn't allow those people to get to you but I can't talk because I did... But at the end of the day, I hope you never allow them to break you.**

Helga read and didn't respond to that nor did she look at him but luckily for her, she was released from detention while unluckily - Arnold had to stay because his actions were considered much more extreme.

Now happily getting away from the school building she walked to her car to see a certain familiar guy leaning up against it. She would have been happy if he were Arnold even if she never showed it on the outside. But unfortunately, even though he too had blonde hair and green eyes this guy wasn't Arnold. He was a guy she thought of as a pretentious jerk who had been hitting on her since their freshmen year. Helga had distanced herself so far from the 'in crowd' that she hadn't learned of him being Arnold's teammate until a few months prior.

"Can you get your flat ass off my car?"

He was smoking a cigar and pulled it out with arrogance. "You've been turning me down year after year. Do you know who I am and how many girls would kill to be the object of my eye?"

"I know exactly who you are and what you're all about."

He grinned and she looked disgusted at that because she could see his true colors behind his good looks and supposed charm. "I'm not just talking about popping your cherry. I want more than that with you. Stop playing hard to get. Give in to your deep dark passions."

"I'm not playing, I just have taste because you're a piece of shit that's all about getting laid."

"You're a bitch and if you don't let me help you - your little problem will only get worse."

With a look of disgust, she pushed him off her car. "You're just a pig, go sleep with one of those blind girls that chase after you because you'll never ever lay a finger on me. If you do you'll find that finger broke in half and maybe something else will get broken in the process. And that's no threat. Do you want a matching black eye? If not then I suggest you piss off."

With a pointed look directed at him she climbed into her car to start it up and because she was heading to her part-time job she was Phoebe-less; who got a ride with her boyfriend Gerald instead. As she pulled off with him still standing nearby watching, she's unaware that her aggressive behavior and insults only turned him on even more.


	3. Chapter 3

Helga worked at a clothing store which is a very large thrift store that sold lots of retro pieces and also different forms of fabric.

The store manager is a woman Connie in her mid-thirties but dresses similar teens or early twenty-somethings, she and Helga have become very close over the time she's worked there. Helga often confines in her when she has personal dilemmas since she doesn't have her mother or her sister to turn to; which was nothing new but still it was nice to have an older female to turn to about certain issues.

Connie walked onto the main floor doing a salsa dance. Seeing the downcast Helga she drummed her fingers on the counter to get her attention. "Hey, Ms. Firecracker what's bugging you?"

Helga slumps over tallying the money left in the register. "I spiked a talking boob in the face with a volleyball and got detention. Then the school's biggest male whore and equally obnoxious jerk once again offer me his dirty—"

"Helga!" She glances over her shoulder. "Not in front of the customers."

"Sorry Con…" Helga mumbled and turns on her light to indicate that her lane is open.

"And all on your first day. Tsk tsk, you have my sympathies blondie."

Helga snorts with a devious grin. "I don't need sympathies I have a mean left hook."

Later on towards the end of her shift, during her down time, Helga was sketching a little and Connie walked by and noticing the outline of a dress. A dreamy smile fell onto features. "Is Cinderella going to the ball?"

Helga had a look of disdain. "No." She flipped through her sketchbook. "These are just all my ideas, not for me, this is all practice stuff... remember I told you that I plan on trying something with fashion as an additional source of income along with my writing career." _Meh, I lied. I did make one sketch of a potential prom dress._

She smirked at her. "Oh right." Out of nowhere she got into a boxers pose and started bopping around. "Anyway, would you like me to come down to your school and open up a can of whoop-ass on that little heifer on the playground!"

Helga bursts into a laughing fit. "I don't know which is funnier what you said or the fact that you got your dukes up while wearing that polka dot dress." She put her fists down to laugh with Helga.

"I think you forget that I'm seventeen and a senior in high school. We don't have playgrounds... thanks for the offer but I think I can handle things... I'm more upset that I let them get the best of me today."

"M'Kay only trying to look out for my favorite employee... and the most beautiful young lady that I know." She said that knowing how compliments tended to make Helga nervous and she usually didn't know how to respond to them so Connie continued talking. "So you ended in detention, eh?"

Helga nodded. "Yep, I did ... but it wouldn't have been so bad except that I ended up in the same room as Arnold."

Connie looked surprised. "You mean the Arnold?" Helga nodded again. "I thought you always said he was a know-it-all/goody two shoes. Why was he in detention?"

Helga shrugged. "He is, in addition to being a dense person who sometimes has a hard time seeing the negative in people. So I was just as surprised as you are. But apparently, he got into a fight over a girl... most likely Lila. But I don't really know what happened for certain because I try not to pry into his social life."

She could see that her teen Amiga still had strong feelings for the guy she had convinced Helga to confess about; due to finding a page of her poetry she left in the storage room of the store. "Have you told young Casanova how you feel?"

Helga giggled at the term she used. "I did a long time ago - even if I did take it back.."

"Do you still like him?"

Helga took a moment to ponder if she wanted to admit this but then she didn't see the point in hiding it. "Sometimes I can't stand him... and yet- I love him but I've grown to accept that I can't force someone to love me back." She looked over at her sad smile. "You know?"

"I know. Continue to be confident in yourself... hold your chin up." She decided to hold in what she wanted to say because she learned how much Helga hated when things got too mushy between them.

"Thanks. I will." She lifted her head with more of a confident smile. Once she had walked away Helga exhaled loudly while staring longingly out the store window. But in came Curly rushing into the store and sliding across the floor towards Helga.

He was a regular at the store. "Hey, Curly."

"Hey, glad you got out of trouble. I was one second away from making a 'free Helga Pataki' t-shirt and holding myself up in the principal's office and demand for your freedom!" Helga raised her eyebrows and held her hand over her mouth while laughing.

She watched him shamelessly yet playfully flirt with some of the female coworkers and customers with amusement. Seeing one of them lightly hitting him with her purse and chasing him around the store - her spirits were instantly lifted. "I love you Curly." She said to him as he jogged past her still being chased.

Once her shift was over she along with Curly went to their favorite 17 and up a club; which was their regular hang to meet up their group of friends.

XOXOXO

At school the next day, Helga was enjoying her lunch period outside in the part of the quad where all the 'weird kids' hung out. Arnold happens to have the same period and he was walking by when he saw Helga. With a look of determination, he took a deep breath and went out there. Immediately, as soon as his feet hit the outdoor pavement, he received several strange looks as if he weren't welcomed. Instead of allowing that to make him turn away he continued to walk and sat down next to her.

She could have melted in his presence but covered it up with nonchalance. "What are you doing over here football head?" She pointed ahead. "Your people are over there by those trees."

He made a face. "My people? Helga, I'm not caught up in all of that division stuff."

She kept her eyes on her book. "Then why is this the first time you've talked to me in I don't know how long? And why is this the first time you've come over to this area since we started high school?"

At first, his face dropped but he managed to pick it back up quickly. "I did try to talk to you yesterday—"

"That doesn't count we were stuck in that room together and besides...your Mr. polite you speak to everyone so you don't get a gold star for that.

"Hey I'm not always polite and I don't always speak to everyone, I only speak to people I like." She rolled her eyes. "I mean that I've always liked you. I wanted to be your friend back in—"

Interrupting him because she didn't want to hear about how much he wanted to just be her friend. "I've known for years that you're not always polite. Your petty fight reminds me of that." Arnold frowned because he didn't consider defending her petty - he realized she was listening to hearsay. Thinking about his friend comment she hissed. "And anyway, I have enough friends Arnoldo." She stood up seemingly to move away from him.

He grabs her arm to stop her from leaving. _Shit..._ _I'd hate to see her reaction if I told her the type of relationship I truly want with her._ "I didn't mean to get you upset." He felt a throbbing pain in his chest. "God...can you tell me what I've ever done to make you hate me so much?"

She felt weakened by his touch. "You know that I don't hate you."

His brows raised. "Do I?" He shrugged and let go of her arm. "Maybe you don't. But you sure do act like it sometimes."

She sits down and silence fell over them for a few moments. _I didn't have to be rude... it's decent that he is trying to be friendly._ "I'm sorry."

That caught his attention despite how small her voice was. It touched him. "Wait did you just say you were sorry?"

She held her hand briefly up to cover the side of her face. "You heard me correctly..."

"Hmm, it's not every day that Helga Pataki says sorry."

Helga rolls her eyes. "You don't come around Helga Pataki enough to know that." She spoke with bitterness.

He sighs with some irritation and remorse but with the thought, he became more optimistic. "Hey well how about we change that?"

She let her sketchbook fall into her lap giving Arnold the chance to get a peek at what she was working on. "What are you talking about?" She questions.

When her eyes connected with his, he smiled at receiving her full attention. "You know to make up for the past mistakes... well a start at least." He scratched his head and fingered his hair out of nervousness. "L-Like um-mm how about you come with me to a party on Friday night?"

She took that into consideration, but the idea of going to a party most likely having to see him surrounded by girls wasn't exactly an appealing way to spend a Friday night. "I-I don't know. It'll probably be more of your crowd anyway."

"My crowd?" He looks down at his shoes and wraps his arms around his knees. "I don't think I've seen you at many parties since we started high school."

Her expression became smug and her tone full of wit. "I've partied with the best of them. I just haven't gone to any of those 'beautiful people's' parties you attend."

He rolls his eyes but in good humor but he took the moment that she was facing him to take in her features. _Speaking of beauty... hers is unmatched._ He stared at her big expressive eyes - he could get lost in, her cute nose, those full pouty lips he wanted so badly to feel against his again. As she turned away shyly from him he couldn't resist admiring her figure now that she had taken her light jacket off. He couldn't see much because her clothes weren't tight but what he could see he liked a great deal. He had longed to let his hands roam all over her ever since he had gotten glimpses of her figure freshmen year. Right now he found himself picturing her thin yet shapely frame. He recalls the sight of her perky breast, flat stomach, curvy waist and tight round bottom in those rather form fitting uniform she wore for the girl's softball team as she would play with such intense dedication out on the field.

He tugs on his shirt collar feeling himself getting a little heated from the images of her in his mind and closeness to her, his half-lidded gaze went off her and onto the people around him; some of which were giving him some strange looks. He ignores them and focused back on their conversation and his face filled with amusement. He moved his body at an angle to directly face her and reached over and took hold of her hand; which forced her to turn to him. "Well madame, you are cordially invited by one of the beautiful people to attend this soiree. Because I've blessed you with my presence and invitation, now you are officially one of us." He was joking and imitating bourgeois types by speaking in a snobbish tone of voice.

Helga bursts into giggles. "I'll think about it."

Arnold liked the fact that he made her genuinely giggle; he saw it as an accomplishment. He let go of her hand and peeked down at her book, impressed with what he saw. "You're really good at that." He went on to indicated specifically what he was referring to. "Your sketching."

She lowers it so he could see it better. "Thanks. I guess I've gotten a lot of practice over the years and I spend a lot of spare time working on them."

"Don't you know how to make your own clothes?"

She looks confused and a bit suspicious. "Uh, how do you know that?" She continued to eyeball him. "Have you linked up with Brainy and started stalking me or something?"

Arnold chuckles and his brows knit together. "No Helga I haven't been..." He stops, bewildered. "Wait Brainy stalks you?"

She bursts out into hysterical laughter. "He doesn't anymore but he use to. That's why I use to always hit him in the face."

Arnold is dumbfounded. "That's not funny Helga. Well about him following you around that is.."

Helga's mouth opens. _Did he forget about that tidbit in my confession about stalking him?_ "Arnold - Brainy is harmless. If he wanted to trap me in his basement he would have done it years ago." She giggled because of how ridiculous the idea of that sounded to her.

Arnold's totally unamused. _I remember when she told me she stalked me at some point ...back in the fourth grade. That was unnerving when I found out but over time I realized that she did that partly to watch out for me a_ _nd partly because she just wanted to be near me_ _... because Helga was never like most people; who would just come out and ask if I was alright or if I needed anything... and was too afraid to admit that she wanted to be around me... it was totally innocent and pretty sweet... Maybe Brainy was the same?... But he has always been the oddest of the oddballs at PS 118 so I don't know._ "It's still not funny."

She couldn't hold in a huge grin but got rid of that quickly. "Okay." She slams down her notebook and stands up. Arnold was staring at her all wide eyed. "Give me your phone so I can call the authorities right now! That Brainy is just so insane! The last time he stalked me was at least five years ago and he never once laid a finger on me, but he's still a threat to my personal safety he has got to be stopped before he hurts someone." She covered her mouth and her wide eyes shifted around dramatically. "Oh God... what if he's watching me right now?" She leaped into his arms. Luckily she's light and he's athletic "Arnold please save me from this deranged misfit!" _I'm in his arms... practically in his lap - the things I could do_ _to him_... She couldn't hold in a high pitch giggle... _Helga girl stop it!_

He blushes. _This feels familiar..I wish didn't have to let go._ But once got up he crossed his arms with a deadpanned expression - trying to hold in a laugh. "Are you done making fun of me Pataki?"

She sits down and nudges him in his sides a few times. "Nope. Never. You should know that by now Shortman."

He bursts into laughter and bashfully smiled, he enjoyed the playful physical contact from her. "I do know that Helga." He started to look at his phone and around them as if he were unsure of something suddenly.

She squints. "Are you okay?"

With a frown, he looked at her and put his phone away. "Yeah, but I forgot I'm supposed to meet my coach in a few minutes. And his office is on the other side of the building." He sighed with disappointment. "He's trying to get me out of trouble... because of that fight. So I have to go... It was nice getting a chance to talk to you. I hope we can do this again. Like tomorrow? And that you'll come to the party with me Friday?"

She peers at him. _I don't know what brought on this sudden urge to be around me... knowing him - it's probably because it's our last year and he doesn't want to graduate regretting not being everyone's best friend._ She rolled her eyes yet smiled and spoke in a much softer tone."Y-Yeah sure thing, I would like that... I-I mean I'll be out here anyway. As far as a party, I can't promise anything but I'll consider it."

 _At least she didn't say no but ah she sounded so sexy just now._ "That's all I can ask of you - is to think about it - since we've been kind of distant over the years but I do hope you say yes." He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled with warmth. "See you tomorrow."

Once he was out of sight she briefly touched her shoulder where his hand just was. She sighed blissfully. She honestly could have just fainted right there. _He still has it._

 **TY 4 Reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

Arnold heads to see his coach, which fortunately was a friend from his past; Coach Wittenburg. He walked into his small but very colorful office to immediately see the last person on the planet sitting in one of the two chairs in front of coach's desk. He turned his head to peer up at Arnold with a poker face; while Arnold was glaring at him in return.

"Shortman! Glad you showed. Take a seat!"

Arnold reluctantly sits down purposely keep his eyes straight ahead to avoid any contact with the guy next to him.

"Shortman, I'm shocked to learn that you of all people started a fight with one of your teammates. What happened to brotherhood?! Isn't that what you always preached to me about? What's that word again? Comradery or something!" He hit his desk aggressively in order to make his point.

He glances at them both. "I want you two to get along. I don't care what it takes! I don't even care to know the reason for the fight! I want it resolved. Now!"

Arnold is unmoved. Coach sighed and turned to Arnold with more pleading eyes. "Shortman, come on I need you to do this."

Arnold sighed and rolled his eyes up but silently reach out his hand and shook on it.

Brendan decided to go further put on an act - he was good at it. "I wanted to apologize to you Arnold for offending you to that point. I'm sorry that I pushed you with my words to do something out of character and get physically violent. I would love for us to get along and be good teammates and maybe even friends.."

Arnold was stoic until he saw Coach was staring at him clearly waiting for him to respond, he softened his tense demeanor just enough to be convincing. "Alright. I'll apologize for allowing your words; which offended me deeply by the way... compel me to put my hands on you because like you said that's totally out of my character. Violence shouldn't be the answer for conflict and it goes against the true definition of teamwork and sportsmanship." With his sharp peripheral vision, he could see Brendan roll his eyes. _But if I could do it over I wouldn't change a thing...He better not even mutters a word about her again!_

"Thank you, boys. Such maturity nearly brings a tear to my eye." He looked to Brendan. "You're excused Sanders, close the door behind you."

He gets up and smiles at Arnold which contained a hidden smirk.

Once Sanders was gone, he softened in front of the young man. "Arnie. Tell me what could have caused you to do this?"

Arnold sighs and rests on one of his hands. "You remember Helga Pataki?"

He put a finger to his temple and mumbles her name. "She was in my wedding, skinny little mouthy girl with a pink bow, right?"

One corner of his lip curl up. "That's her... anyway Brendan... started to insult her. She doesn't deserve to be talked about as if she's inferior .. when truthfully she's better than a lot of those so-called 'cool' kids. I hear them speaking negatively about her too often - I couldn't take it anymore and I guess I just lost control when I heard him refer to her as trash and he said something else I can't repeat." He lowers his head.

Coach stares at the sulking teen. "I know how you feel. Love... especially young love can make you do some bold things. I respect that you and Mr. Sanders were able to put your differences aside for the sake of the team!" His more stern expression faltered and a sulking one took over. "This makes me think of Tish!" He started to bellow loudly like a baby.

Arnold leans over to comfort the sobbing and ranting man. _Wow, are my feelings for her that obvious that even he notices?_

When leaving the office he closed his door and stood there for a moment letting relief that his position on the team wasn't at all in jeopardy.

He thought about all the ranting coach did over losing Tish again because he had a hard time expressing his deep feelings. Something pegged at his heart. Knowing that eventually, he would have to express himself truthfully or risk ending up like the dedicated but lonely coach, he just didn't know how to go about it. But he felt like he was heading in the right direction.

XOXOXO

Helga and Arnold did repeat spending time during lunch hours together; talking and joking casually with each other nonstop, not even caring about those who might have thought it was weird that they were being so friendly. Though Arnold learned to keep the subject light because anytime he tried to dive deeper she would clam up or quickly change the topic.

Arnold manages for a few days in a row to sneak into the cafeteria and out with two bowls of tapioca pudding since he remembered that both he and Helga loved it back in elementary school. That, of course, made Helga smile. His spirits were high at the fact that she was no longer acting pugnacious with him.

Seeing the students going inside they realized their break was over so Arnold stands up and reaches down and helped Helga up. She had never given him an answer on his request for her to join him at a party Friday; which is tonight. He decided to be a little forward. "Hey, so I'll be over to pick you up later?"

Helga just nods and a wide smile materialized on his face which he tried to conceal. "Great." He starts to walk away but stopped and turned back. "Oh, I need your new address..."

She drew back for a second with thoughts of where she lives and who she lives with him and how he behaves sometimes. He patiently waits but with concern at her hesitation. "Um... I have work tonight so how about you just pick me up there... it's that store Finder's Keepers."

Arnold bites down on his lower lip to conceal his excitement but he was still curious as to why she seemed tense when he requested her address. He wonders if it was because of him in particular or would she be like that with any guy. It dawns on him as he was now walking inside his next classroom early that she could have been ashamed of where she lives. The idea of that made Arnold feel sympathy with disappointment because he thought that Helga knew him better than to think he would judge her by material possessions. He's never been that type of person and he still isn't. Arnold could never go with that kind of thinking of some of his peers, especially since he grew up with an unorthodox family; even if his family is more conventional nowadays, he still is far from being loaded.

XOXOXO

Helga now in the hall was confronted by one of her friends name Jennie.

"Hey Pataki, what were you doing out there with that prep?"

Helga shrugs. "Just hanging out, it beats being in that funky cafeteria."

"So you just ditch us to hang out with one of those popular rich kids."

Helga frowns. "Arnold isn't rich; he and I actually grew up together so it's different."

"Oh, he's Arnold. Well, he seems just like that guy you went out with last year. What was his name—"

"Adam. And Arnold's nothing like him … besides, he and I were just chatting... nothing deep."

"Yeah okay, just don't let your guard down. Because I remember how you balled your eyes out when Adam turned out to be a troll from hell."

She rolls her eyes. "Anyway, Arnold invited me to this house party and I'm thinking about going... It's tonight. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to crash." _Since Phoebe is gonna be out doing god knows what with tall hair boy. Yuck!... Just kidding .. kinda... I'm happy for the gal._

She shakes her head. "Nope, not my scene."

Helga looks down at her shoes. "It isn't my scene either, but..." She shrugged. "I thought that maybe we could do something different... you know since this is our last year... thought it would be kind of cool."

"I'll pass. Besides they're having reggae at the EvilOlive it'll be too big of a jam in there to miss." She looked Helga up and down. "You should ditch that party and come down."

Helga looks up for a moment in thought. "Maybe I'll see if Arnold wants to come by since he'll be giving me a ride anyway."

Jennie huffs. "Yeah right like Mr. clean cut would dare be seen at a place like that."

She seems sort of offended. "Hey, Arnold's not a snob. When we were kids he would—"

"Exactly when you were kids." She crossed her arms. "Let's see what he's like now!"

Helga stomps her foot. "Then we'll see then!"

She eyes Helga artfully. "You wanna put a little money on it?"

"Huh?"

"I bet you..." Jennie looked into her wallet and scratched her head. "Ten bucks that the golden boy won't be at the club later."

 _A bet? .. Meh sounds harmless... I know for a fact that I could convince him to come. He's more open minded than she thinks and hey I can't pass up on earning a quick buck!_ Helga slaps her hands. "Deal!"

Jennie takes out a pack of cigarettes. "School's stressing me out already kid - need a smoke break. You wanna come?"

Helga grins and shakes her head. "Jennie you know I don't smoke and I can't stand the shit."

"Oh right, you're a borderline goody goody yourself just like what's his face.." She teases.

Helga holds up her fist playfully. "You wanna repeat that sister?"

"No thanks. I know you're a kick-ass bitch. I remember what you did to that skirt on the softball team. I don't want a taste of that."

Helga isn't exactly overjoyed by her past transgressions but shrugs if off. They did a handshake and went their separate ways.

XOXOXO

Since it was Friday, the store was having a slow day and Helga along with her coworkers was just lounging around instead of doing much work.

Connie came out seeing there wasn't any genuine work to assign - she turned on her music; which happened to be her favorite songs called A little prayer. Helga and the others now knew the song by heart since she makes a habit of playing it. They are also aware of her turning on that song means she's met a man and is on the verge of falling in love. After a second of everyone enthusiastically lipping to the song, out of nowhere Curly came moon walking into the store.

All the employees who were all female - some groaned and rolled their eyes ever since she started working there Curly had a habit of popping up being overtly goofy. But Connie herself liked him and thought his antics were entertaining which is why she never turned him away.

He listens to the song and smiles as he was already familiar with it but also knew of her habit of playing it.

With a flirtatious smirk, he dramatically threw himself over on each of their counters and sang along. Then once he had all of their attentions he did a quick spin. "None of you dames will have to pray to get me."

"Ugh… dames? Con next time can we play **Respect** by Aretha Franklin instead?"

Helga laughs because she knew his sense of humor and that he was harmless and very respectful underneath his obnoxiousness.

She stabs him with a finger to his forehead. "To what do we owe this performance and presence?"

He gives her a duh face. "We're gonna meet Jennie at the EvilOlive to bump and grind." He pulls her towards him by the waist to comically demonstrate and Helga shoves him off and held up her fist. He chuckles and eyes her clothes. "Hey, rockin outfit! But man this is gonna be a fun night... I can't wait to get down. I know you're there!"

Helga glances down. "Well um...I'll be meeting you guys there later... I don't know when exactly."

"Why, what's up? Is boss lady making you stay later again?" He playfully glares her Connie who simply shrugs at him. He props himself up on the counter.

She shakes her head. "No nothing like that. Actually, I'm meeting someone to go to a party."

Curly's eyes stretch. "You got word of a party and you didn't tell me. What if I wanted to go?" He fakes like he was so distraught. After a minute he got more serious and also curious. "Are you going on a date? Who's the fellow?" His eyes lit up with excitement.

Helga hesitates to answer. "No. No, it's not a date. Arnold's coming to pick me up to take me to this party."

"Huh... Arnold as in the guy you've yelled 'move out my way football head' at?"

Helga sighs followed by an uneasy laugh. "Yeah. We don't know anyone else name, Arnold. Do we?"

Curly shakes his head. "But, it's not a date?"

Helga turns away from him. "No."

He hops off the counter she could feel him stepping closer to her. "Either way, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Again."

She whirls around frowning. "What are you talking about?"

He leans his head over. "I think you know. You remember your little debacle with a certain member of his circle?" Curly like Helga and her friends was considered an outcast too because of his purposely mix match clothing choices and flamboyant behavior.

Helga couldn't believe what she was hearing. She didn't mind it from Jennie because the girl didn't know Arnold but this was Thaddeus 'Curly' Gammelthorpe; who grew up with Arnold just like she did. How could he think something like that and put Arnold in the same category as a superficial, perverted manipulator?

She's annoyed also with his raised volume and the fact that he accidentally spits on her a little. "Thaddeus." He knew she was upset because that was the only time she used his real name. "You of all people should know that Arnold isn't like that."

Curly didn't back down from his position. "Should I? And just how should I? I haven't talked to the guy in years except for lame head nods and hellos while passing by in the hallway. How do I know he hasn't turned into a complete braggart?" He snaps his fingers. "Look what happened to Rhonda."

Helga knocks on his forehead. "Ding dong is anyone in there? Did you forget that Rhonda Loyd has been a snob since Urban Tots?! And that he has been one of the most accepting people in our old group?" _Can't believe I'm openly defending Arnold like this._

He admires his nails in a way of imitating the 'pretty boy' types. "Like I said that was years ago. I don't like to judge people by their past... good or bad... but how they act now. And from what I've seen he keeps people like us at a safe distance. That says a lot."

She softens a little because she did sort of appreciate his way of thinking. But she's still annoyed. "It's not like we've been exactly approachable to him. Fuck maybe he's been scared to talk to us. Our friends can appear rather um... hostile... so can I sometimes... lots of times." She could sense that what she was arguing wasn't get through to him. "Anyway, I have an idea of how he is now so you're just going to have to trust my judgement.."

He, a bit annoyed crosses his arms. "I just hope you won't be moping around your house because you suddenly have yet another urge to mingle with the 'beautiful ones.'"

She could hear the bitterness in his voice that she never heard before. Helga feels her irritation move into anger. "I know what this is about! You're still in love with her and you're upset that she's made herself inaccessible to you but that's no reason to judge my action... especially since I'm only trying to have fun with an old friend!"

He turns away . "An old friend." He murmurs. "Yeah right. And anyway you leave Rhonda out of this! This has nothing to do with her." Helga folds her arms and turns her back to him. "And everything to do with the fact that I can't believe my friend is being naive. Not only did one of those guys treat you like shit, but they've done the same thing to many of your girlfriends! Where was Arnold when people he associates with treat you and your friends like dirt? I don't see him sticking up for you." Just like Helga, he was still unaware that Arnold has stuck for her simply verbally in the past and even got into a physical altercation as a result. "I'm only trying to protect you!"

"You are the one that brought her up! And I don't need protection alright!"

He shakes his head. "Fine! That's right you're Helga G. Pataki the tough chick. You still think no one can hurt you... huh? Well, when it happens yet again... just don't expect me to comfort you if and when someone else sucks you in and then spits you out because I might not be here!" He turns his back to her now.

She is hurt by his comments and spins around to jab him roughly in the back; causing him to jump. _I can't believe he's actually saying this...he can't mean it..._ "You little prick! How dare you speak to me like that - all because I want to expand my horizons and have a little fun with someone outside of our group!" She stares him down hoping that he would apologize but he didn't. "Whatever... I don't know why I even bother to entertain this childish conversation."

Seeing headlights and she hoped it was her ride. "I'll see you later at the club..." She eyes him judgmentally. "Or not! I don't really care whether you show or not." She was shocked at this whole disagreement. The two had been good friends since the 8th grade and not once did they talk to each other like this.

He puffs and storms out of the store and in the process bumped into Arnold; who naturally tries to apologize and speak to him but only got the back of Curly's head jogging off to get on his bicycle. A confused Arnold watches him. _What the hell was that about?_

 **I decided to cut it off there, so not to make it unreasonably long.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Apologizing in advance for any errors, I wrote the chapter and immediately uploaded ... I hope you get the gist of things. I'll edit later.**

He's confused by Curly's frostiness. Sure they weren't exactly friends but they were usually cordial. Walking inside, Arnold's breath hitch echoes through the store and thoughts of anything else vanish in a snap as he takes in Helga's appearance from a distance. She is wearing a look that was on the gothic side. His eyes went from her near knee length boots to her fishnets, pink plaid skirt, black fitted shirt, black nail polish, black eyeliner/mascara and dark pink eye shadow. Along with that, she was wearing pink and black gloves and a black choker; her hair pulled back into two low free flowing ponytails held together by black ribbons.

His gaze moves up to her eyes. "Hey, Helga." She could hear the shock in his voice. He continues to check her out as she got closer. His eyebrows turn up making him appear marginally timid. He held his mouth as if he were going to whistle but no sound came out. "You look—"

She scowls, having feelings of deja vu - thinking that he was going to react like other guys have in the past. "If you dare... laugh or ask me to change I'll pound you!"

His eyes got big and proceed to talk in a higher pitch voice. "No! I wasn't - I was going to ask that or laugh ... I was just gonna say that you look .. um .. interesting .. buuut I like it." _More than 'like' it, in fact, it's sexy as hell. Normally it would be a turn-off... How is this possible? ... she's dressed kind of devilish - but she still looks like an angel._ Noticing her long slender legs in those fishnet stockings he briefly shut his eyes. _Ah hell, how am I gonna get through the whole night being a gentleman with her looking like this? - With a stiff upper lip, that's how Shortman haha... Whoa huh.. that sounded like grandpa himself was speaking to me._

She peeks down trying to conceal the embarrassing color that she knew filled her cheeks. "Er. um ... I guess that means I won't have to pound you." There was laughter in her voice. "Not that I needed your approval anyway hair boy."

One corner of his lip twitched up and he squints one eye. "Right .. of course you don't. You're Helga G. Pataki... you always do whatever you want even if the world is against it. I've always respected that about you, a lot."

She chews on her lip and quickly checks him out. He's in a nice blue blouse - the sleeves are rolled up slightly - top buttons are undone. It's snug enough to show off his lean but toned chest and arms.

He is talking, she knew this because his lips are moving, but she didn't hear a thing. She couldn't resist staring into those enchanting green eyes and those lips that curled up into a genuine modest smile. _He always looks so gorgeous... it should be against the law to be so fine._ She frowns incredibly. _Ugh he's making me so goddamn corny._

She swallows kind of hard realizing how she must have looked from his viewpoint - just standing there with what felt like an eternity staring at him.. _Say something. Anything._ "By the way you look ace." Her face felt hot, to point where she wouldn't have minded if cold water was thrown in her face. _Why am I so nervous? Why is he so calm? A'duh you know the answer to that Pataki! Snap yourself out of this! Stop making it weird!_ "Well the best a guy with a football head could look." She laughs awkwardly, her hand going to her forehead. _Doh!_

"Thanks." He replies. Her eyes went elsewhere but she could feel him staring at her.. _Ha_ . _A compliment tied with an insult - that's something only she could pull off._

She catches the sight of her coworkers and boss staring at them like they are a painting. She nods and realized she was being rude so she introduced Arnold to everyone.

He turns his attention back on her. "Hey, thanks for agreeing to come out with me tonight." He finally became aware of Helga's coworkers mockingly batting their eyes. With a smile, he nods at them. "It was nice to meet you all." He looked to Helga like he was getting a little shy under their stares."Are you ready?"

"Yeah." She rolls her eyes with jovialness at her coworkers and waved them goodbye.

He lightly brushes a hand on her lower back and held opened the door for her. Ignorant to the fact of how his touch made her skin tingle.

She follows him outside. Gasping a little expecting the see the old fashion car he usually drove to school but instead he walked over to a motorcycle.

Arnold notices her expression and chuckles. "Sorry, I forgot to mention that I was gonna drive her." _Her._ Helga parroted in her mind. "I saved up from my part-time jobs over the summer and my father helped me out a little. I couldn't let anyone take her off the lot."

Helga folds her arms. "Ahem ... well, that's cool. I would never have taken you as the type to want or even get near a motorcycle... they're kind of risky and you're always been so careful and safe."

He clears his throat. "I got on one for the first time when I was nine. You remember Frankie G.?" Helga snickers but nods. He shrugs. "Well in spite of bad memories there .. ever since then I've wanted one of my own. So .. I guess that means Helga that even I have a side of me that's a little—"

"Phooey!" Helga bursts out into a bark of laughter before she could stop herself. She covered her mouth still with laughter in her face.

He raises his brows with an amused smile. His hooded eyes, he licks his lips looking at hers and back to her eyes. _The fuck is he gonna say?_ She wonders but did fully want to know the answer because she had a feeling it was going to be something that made her insides do somersaults. "Huh.. don't believe me, eh? After all, we've experienced together in the past. You of all people should know that sometimes I'm not scared of getting .. dangerous, maybe even a little dirty." He winks at her.

That sends a shiver up and down her spine. Once again her body temperature increases. _Why the hell am I losing my shit over a simple little wink - like I'm a freaking junior high girl or something_ _..._

He climbs on the front and glances at the very still Helga just staring back at him, he chuckles. "What is it Pataki, are you too uh chicken, to hop on? I promise she won't bite and uh neither will I." He chuckled and his eyebrows rise. "That is unless you want us to." Laughter roars out and he squeezes his eyes shut.

. _What's gotten into him? What's up with this pseudo-flirting? Is he trying to get back at me?_ _Grr, I think this guy forgot that I'm the one that does the teasing!_

Feeling a bit teed off but she couldn't get anything to come out her mouth. She knows that if she tries to snark back it would come out unconvincingly embarrassing - the idea of feeling humiliated in front of Arnold terrifies her.

She finally climbs in the back. As he starts to drive, Helga clung to him for dear life, not because she was afraid, she actually had experiences motorcycles. She just uses the excuse of being scared to hold on to him and get close to him as she could. Little did she know that Arnold was enjoying that... probably too much.

As the mansion with lots of cars and people out front comes into view, Helga knows that was the location of the party and as a result, she feels strong anxiety. Curly had put some degree of fear into her. Not at his words about Arnold because she trusts him immensely and knows that he would never intentionally hurt her. But her anxiety was the result of the knowing that she was in fact about to cross into enemy territory. But she shrugs as he pulls into the driveway and reminded herself that these kids were only human and fearing them was more than preposterous.

XOXOXO

Walking into the party, all eyes were on Helga, Arnold too. Not the eyes of innocent curiosity as to who was with one of the school's most eligible bachelor but of judgment and disdain. Everyone's dressed in trendy clothes that made perfect sense and were easy to the eyes, including Arnold himself. And here walks in Helga with her semi-Goth fit next to the school's male sweetheart.

Some, particularly some girls were bold enough to point and make insulting comments loud enough to be heard. Honestly, she expects this and it made her a little self-conscious she glances at Arnold who was looking straight ahead grimacing. Those around seemed shocked by his demeanor and his behavior in general ever since his run in with Brendan.

Feeling like she wouldn't be able to have a good time she started on her heels to run out the door but he caught her hand and leaned close to whisper in her ear. She could feel his warm breath trickling down her neck making her thoughts become slightly muddy. His hand gently brushed up to her shoulders. "Don't worry. We can get away from these morons. Trust me .. s-stay .. I have some cool people I'd like you to meet." Taking her hand again he pulls her through the crowd; which seem to all stop and give the pair their undivided attention.

While Arnold was politely guiding her through with a gentle yet tight tug, she spotted Harold or rather he spots her first. Harold was part of this crowd because he was jock, a star wrestler. He dons a look of wonder and curiosity because of A. her presence at this party. B. being with Arnold of all people. C. her outfit. After stopping to narrow her eyes at him without changing her expression she holds out her fist, waiting on his response. He lifts his own fist to dab her a few times. "Cool..." He mumbles once she had walked off.

Arnold brings her to where he knows some of his own close friends would be including the person who was hosting the party.

She's a girl who is very well known 'perfect' girl; rich, smart, well liked by all crowds, stylish, beautiful etc.. She and Arnold had become good friends while working on student counsel a few years prior.

Being introduced to her, Helga would have been envious and felt intimidated being in her presence because she is the spitting image of the kind of girl that Arnold would pine for. Even though she did feel a tidge of those emotions, she was just trying to have fun and be confident in herself. After all, he did spend those lunch periods with her during the week and invited her here so in her mind, it's possible that he likes her at least to a certain degree. So she feels slightly less threatened than she normally would have, had those early interactions never happened.

Getting to know all of his friends there, she regretted that she was only just now meeting them. They were a lot less judgmental and entitled than she would have assumed in the past. Kids who like Arnold did not just write her off because of her choice of clothing as some sort of freak of nature and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her and hearing her opinions. She was shocked to learn that she similar hobbies or passions like writing, reading certain novels and taste in films. Letting herself relax into being more of herself, she looked over to him smiling at her, she sighed finding herself loosening up more.

XOXOXO

Arnold and Helga mingle on separate accords. But each of them, individually observe the other; managing to go unnoticed in doing so.

Helga hangs with Harold and his girlfriend Patty, known as 'Big Patty' from their childhood; who is now a high school graduate attending community college. She seems excited to see Helga, it had been some time since they last spoke. It was nice to meet new people but it was comforting to be in the presence of familiar faces.

She shifts her attention from Harold and Patty because she heard his laugh. It's music to her lobes, gentle yet audible and recognizable on an instant - despite all the noise. Her eyes on him as he stops laughing those crinkles around his eyes slowly fading away, his lips still curled up. She leans up against the wall in a position that she couldn't be spotted by him and continues to watch him. She for the first time in a while gave herself the freedom to let her mind wonder about him.

 _Look at him. He's so beautiful. Everything about him. Those green pools, that soft smile, the way his hair is randomly sprouted all over his head unruly in a way that only he could make that look good. His scent, his soft voice with a taste of huskiness and then there's his body .. whew.. I can't go into details._ Biting down on her index finger continuing to secretly study her love from afar, her eyes not full of lust but more admiration - love. _More than his looks he's so warm, social able, inviting, engaging, totally capable of making everyone around him feel comfortable and liked by him. He seems to really listen to everything everyone has to say patiently. Unlike most people he really listens, not just simply standing there hearing words - waiting for his turn to spit verbal. Everything about him is genuine, natural .. he wears his kindness on his sleeve - leaving him vulnerable to be taken advantage of, but he hasn't allowed that to harden him much._

Helga heard a soft but strong laugh and sees her, the girl she was introduced to earlier whose is hosting this party and she swallows hard. _Oh fuck_ \- _look at her... I can't even hate. She's great.. I've seen her around school. Unlike 'Miss Perfect' Sawyer - she's for real sweet to the core, good conversationalist because she can pull everyone - anyone in .. without being annoying or overbearing about it..._ She pauses and her eyes go back to Arnold. _I bet he has a crush on her... everyone likes her it seems. While I'm fucking polarizing._ A low sigh escapes her. S _he's probably his new ideal since the Lila relationship didn't work out .. I wonder exactly why by the way_ .. She shook her head taking her mind off his old escapes. _This chick is the real 'perfect' girl and Arnold would sure get along well and she would certainly treat him good.. she would give him the affection and kindness he deserves - better than I ever have or ever could._ Suddenly some kind of way Arnold's eyes connected with hers. He smiles. His usual friendly smile albeit half smile and she felt as if he could read her mind, as if he knew she was having romantic yet depressing thoughts of him. She sighs. _He's looking at me but_ \- _I don't think_ _he notices me.. not in the way I want him to._

She needs to go somewhere she put her mind off him. Gazing away before she could catch the moony expression that fills his face and spotting room on a couch she pushed through guests to plop down on the couch.

Feet still rooted in the same spot his dreamy yet borderline glum eyes followed her as she moved nearly shoved people aside to get through. _There she goes .. always on the move -_ He rubs his chin and continued to watch her cutting through the traffic. _Ha, she_ _lets nothing stop her - not even for a split second._ A pensive look took over her face _._ _I get easily_ _distracted by my surroundings, I typically have to stop to make sure everything is in order before I can fully focus on whatever I want ... unless the situation is urgent. Not Helga, she's unapologetically assertive on a daily basis. Her wants and needs seem to precede the short-lived reactions of people. She could be easily written off as rude or selfish ... Many have said that about her; my best friend included. But she's really not_ _out to intentionally hurt people, she can be harsh, but if she cares and you're important to her - she's there for you when you need her. Her good deeds seem always to be meaningful and unforgettable._ A vigorous auspicious smile arose on his face. _I know it'll be the best thing in the world when she opens up her shell, because I have a strong inclination that if successful, despite what others say - I'll find the softest most gentle person underneath._ _Unluckily she's a_ _lways running away from me in many ways.. but I know that if she lets me in .._ _all those years of her shoving away from me will be worth enduring._

He observes as some guests came over and eventually started conversing with Helga. One of which was a football player who was known to have a edginess about him that seem to drive all the girls wild. He watched as they started interacting. _This guy he's like .. . A lot girls seem to go crazy over him_ _\- Helga isn't like most girls - she does her own thing .. so I don't think - or at least I hope that she doesn't share their sentiments. This guy seems to have more in common with her persona wise than I do. They both have a way with words - razor sharp wittiness. .. but I think - no I know I would treat her better and appreciate her more than him or any guy honestly..._ He pulls his eyes off the guy and back on her. She was smiling with amusement and Arnold couldn't hold back his own smile as he continued to gaze at her. _Her_ _face is... as soft as a flower... Beauty that sneaks up on you when you least expect it .. but once it sinks in - you never ever forget it. You're forever captured._

 _M_ outh feeling dry, he forces his eyes off her, he goes to get a drink from the kitchen. Suddenly arms wrap around his neck. He smiles but when he turns around his smile twitches down at the sight of who those hands belong to. There was Lila standing there grinning like a Cheshire cat, he had no animosity towards her at all but he always likes to keep a safe distance. Something about her demeanor and body language right now was making him feel uneasy.

"Oh - Hi Lila." He smiles amicably. "Nice to see you here." He pours two cups and then glances at her. "Well .. I have to get back out there and take this to someone." He was about to attempt to pick up the cups and leave, but she blocked his path and practically backs him into a corner.

"Arnold..." Her voice is low-toned and inviting. "You haven't said much more than a few words to me since school started back. Why is that? I know that we're no longer together but..." She eliminates the space between them. "I'm ever so sure that we can quickly get very close." She places her fingers on his shoulder. "I know you're here with her .. I know you've been spending your lunch periods with her. I think that's ever so sweet. But if you give me another chance, our time together will be so much better than sweet. I can make you feel like you're the only man in the world. In more than one way... if you get my drift, Arnold." She moves in to try to kiss his neck but he dodges it.

In disbelief; he couldn't believe what's going on in front of him. He thought of her as a friend, but this person in front of him is a stranger. He frowns, confused and also irritated. "I think I get the drift." He sighs. "Lila - we broke up sophomore year. I thought I explained everything clearly to you back then and it seemed like you understood me. What's going on with you? Why do you suddenly think things are going to change?"

She eases her fingers gently up his arm while eyeing his lips. "I've been waiting for the right time to try to win you back. Because I know that she could never ever do the things to you that I can. I'll admit, she's ever so special, her looks are youthful and haven't changed much over the years her body is oh so cuuute, like a little girl." Arnold looks baffled because, for one thing, she was painting a picture of Helga that he didn't agree with at all, and also because at this passive aggressiveness. She briefly places her palms on her hips. "Now I know you don't want a girl... when you could have a woman, I'm sure as you can see with your own gorgeous eyes - since we were last together I've grown in all the right places. And guess what? I want you." Her fingers now on his collarbone moving slowly down his body.

Most males would probably be turned on, she had the kind of figure that could turn heads with a matching face and voice that could weaken many. Arnold was once one of those guys at one point in his life. But for the longest he's too far captivated by someone far more beautiful. Before her fingers could reach his groin he grabs at her wrists to make her stop touching him with annoyance filling in his face. Yet he still tries to be polite and not too harsh with her. "Look, I'll be the judge of who I want, since it's my own feelings we're discussing here."

She slides her finger around her mouth and slowly into lips all while keeping her eyes on Arnold. She takes her finger out. "Why don't you let your little head do the thinking..."

To her shock, Arnold's expression reflects reproach and maybe even pity. He firmly moves her out of the way to pick up the two cups. "You have a good night Lila." He scampers out of the kitchen and she stood there stupefied; since high school began, rarely had a guy ever dreamed of turning down her advancements. For Helga of all people.

 **{: 'Peciate the comments:}**


	6. Chapter 6

Helga walks Harold and Patty to the door, the two wanted some alone time, so they leave prematurely.

As she was heading back to where she knew Arnold was, she was met by the girl; who's actions caused her to attend detention.

Her the girls around her stares Helga down. "Looks like they'll let anyone in here. I guess she thinks it's Halloween, that's not until October sweetheart."

Helga struts up to her and in return, the girl holds up her hands. "Oh no, the bride of Chucky is going to hit me again. Of course, she'll get violent; she's even dressed the evil part. God why do you insist on wearing such disgustingly tacky clothing, do you like looking like a clown?"

Helga laughs. _Like that's gonna offend me you reject Heather Chandler._ "What is the real problem here ... do you have a crush on me or something? Well, I'm gonna break your heart but sorry I don't swing that way and even if I did I wouldn't want you. I don't even know your fucking name that's how little you matter to me." She looks beyond her to see Rhonda standing there obviously following her like a lapdog. "Just get over it, I'm at this party because I was invited - now if you don't like it—"

"Oh, you know her name. Everyone knows Ashley—"

She cut off her friend defending her with a dirty look but directs it back to Helga. "Insanity, someone actually asked you to come here? Who would be crazy enough to invite you?"

Helga crosses her arms. "Arnold. I guess he's craaaazy." She snickers because saying that in the way that she brings back the memory of him singing to get out of a fight with Harold.

Her mouth gapes open. "Arnold… you mean as in Arnold Shortman?" Her voice was full of disbelief.

 _He's literally the only Arnold in our grade... probably the whole school._ "No .. I mean Arnold fuckin', Schwarzenegger!" She speaks with sharp sarcasm.

Some of her friends' giggle including Rhonda. Helga raises her brows and looked at her; she quickly drops her amused expression and stuck up her nose. The rest quickly stop snickering once Ashley gives them a death stare. Helga just shakes her head. "You know... it's such a pity when individuals with perfecting functioning brains allow themselves to become puppets. Especially you princess. Actually, you don't deserve that nickname anymore... because lowered yourself to being a minion. You and I never really been friends but I respected you for being tough in your own way. When you get sick of being pulled by a leash by your master here, you'll find that you're true friends still care about you... you know the ones I'm referring to."

When she saw that her words went in one ear and out the other. She decides it was time to leave, but she could still hear Ashley's voice projecting the further she got away; talking trash.

"Well, Arnold must be enduring some kind brain condition from getting hit during basketball practice or something. A guy that popular, athletic and handsome... He'd look better with a classier, prettier girl on his arm. He's had better, like Lila Sawyer for example. I wonder if she's here tonight." She holds a hand to her mouth. "She's probably in one the private bedrooms right now with Arnold, why would he want a girl that dresses like a freak?" She laughs in a mocking sort of way.

He spots her first and waves to get her attention. He notes her face how she looked pissed off.

With drinks still in hand, he approaches her. He hands her the cup and looks concerned. "Helga are you okay, did something happen?"

She shrugs. "Oh, just a casual run in with some birds ... nothing to worry about…anyway." She taps his arm and was about to say something but then she saw Lila over his shoulder giving her an odd grin. She looks back at Arnold. _Ugh, that Lila…_ Shaking her head. _I'm not turning back into that girl.. so jealous of Lila and obsessively desperately pining after…_ She studies Arnold, his soft eyes looking into hers, a warm tone to his face as he spoke. She swallows. _Shit… still, I hope he doesn't fall for her again … not just because I want him for myself but because he should have better… someone who could really appreciate him. I know that person isn't Lila._ She frowned. _She's lost her integrity somewhere along the way. somehow.. I almost feel sorry for her. Almost. Not entirely because I know that we all make our own choices and the choices she's made ... at least back over the summer, aren't that of someone deserving of Arnold's love._

Suddenly she felt his hand on hers and he had one eyebrow up. _She seems distracted.. is she not having a good time?_ "Helga, are you sure you're alright?"

She nods and clears her throat. "Yeah positive .. I was just thinking .."

"About…?" He asks with his brow still quirked.

Helga rolls her head to the side, looking down. "Why are you trying to get inside my head or something hair boy…?"

"Maybe.." He smirks. "Unless that is you're too scared of letting me."

Helga giggles a little. "You've been ribbing me all night.. not that you're good at it or anything.. Don't you know that I'm the one that supposes to do the teasing, not you."

Arnold is about to reply but heard a voice of an enemy - a scowl fills his face which confused Helga. He's annoyed, but Brendan presence or rather the sound of his voice gives Arnold a good excuse to get a little alone time with Helga. Once they were in the hallway away Helga squeezes his hand and pulls hers out of his. "Arnold, where are you taking me and why?"

"I thought we could hang out one on one and talk... .. and also besides there're some people here I'd rather avoid." _Sanders and Lila only really..._

He found an office room, Arnold saw as a safe room to take her in because he didn't want her to think he'd only brought her there to get laid or something by taking her to one of the several bedrooms.

Arnold sits down. "So ... "

So did she. "So." She repeats and scrunches up her face in thought. "What did you want to talk about?"

"You." He said firmly _If the reason why you never wrote me was because you were hurt and not because you stopped caring..._ He watches her frown and squirms a little. _It's probably best not to go there._ "I-I mean.. I whatever you wanna talk about."

"Okay .. well..." She raises one brow. "I have to admit - there are cooler people here than I thought .. I thought I was gonna have to cling to you the whole night. But there's still many assholes frat boy types with snobby girlfriends .. I don't see how you associate with them .. they would drive me to drink." With amusement in her face, she tips her cup to drink some more.

Arnold shrugs and put down his cup after taking a sip. "I don't literally associate with everyone, I'm just linked with them. They don't bother me ... as long as they aren't vengeful or nasty, I can tolerate them. I don't let myself get too close to some people." He rolls his eyes and made eye contact with. "There's someone who revealed a side of them I didn't expect...I thought I knew this person... but oh well... That's why I'm glad you decided to come here with me. "

"Oh, why exactly is that?"

"I wanted someone here that I know for certain is real."

Helga's cheeks instantly flushed. _Okay, Helga remain calm..._ "Uh huh ... what's the other reason?"

Arnold shrugs. "I guess I wanted to get to know you better since we've haven't been exactly close over the years. Like how you are at a party. I spent a little time watching you while you were mingling... and I learned some things."

 _He's been watching me?_ "Uh huh... you must have learned that I'm not the life of the party .. sorry if that's what you expected."

He rests all wide legged on a very comfy chair that was almost as big as a couch while Helga was sitting on a desk chair. She drank the rest of her punch. Looking over, Arnold averted his eyes and rested his head on the cushion.

"I honestly didn't know what to expect... that's kind of how I always feel when it comes you... but I learned that as aggressive as you can be at times - even you can be shy or sometimes unsure socially. But mostly you don't care to do small talk with people you don't know well or trust."

With a bashful smile, she shrugs. "I just don't care for bullshit, I don't care to hear it or speak it...sometimes it can be amusing but typically I can tell when someone's insincere... it's both a gift and curse... Sometimes I wish I could just mindlessly go with the crowd even for second..." She rolled her eyes and drank the rest of punch.

"I wouldn't like that - then you wouldn't be Helga... I don't mindlessly go with the crowd either, but I wish that I could be as intuitive as you and be able to see beyond someone's mask before it's too late."

Helga thinks about what he said and smiles a bit. "I have a feeling that you always saw past mine."

His breath softly hitches and he met her gaze and maintain it for what felt like several minutes."T-true... but I meant a kind person who acts nice or cool but is hiding a darker side. It's easy for me to spot the good in people. But guess I was always hopeful that there was a good person behind that scowl and cold words. I'm happy to see that I'm still right."

She smiles and put her head down. "How can you be so sure?" She uses a mocking tone.

"Because I see you..."

They're eyes locked for a second. "Whatever Arnoldo..." Was all she could say. Shaking her head, to try hard to disguise the pinkest color on her cheeks.

Arnold looks her up and down. "Come sit over here. You're way over there." He taps the cushion next to him. Her eyes light up and he lost a bit of his cool. "I-I mean there's enough space and it's more comfortable than that hard chair... or we can trade if you don't—"

With an eye roll, she hops up. "Can it football head." She pushes his leg over and sat down.

Now being so close to her, she did her best to slow down her breathing. Her face was flushed now that he was up against her nearly bare thigh and she could get a whiff of his cologne. "Well, it was fun until a certain creep showed up."

Arnold faces her. "You're talking about Brendan Sanders aren't you?"

She huffs. "Yep.. he's definitely not my favorite person that's for sure.."

He frowns; his head tilts back as he continues to stare at her. "Has he ever bothered you?"

She snorts "I guess you can say that. He's been coming on to me for years. He practically threw self at me the first day of school. I go to leave and he's leaning against my car trying to convince he wants more than to get between my legs. Yeah right... Pfft! ...I'm no fool."

A pissed off Arnold jumps up. _Huh? So this guy been clowning on me since last year about my attraction to her and yet he's been pushing up on her himself? I can't believe I didn't catch this..._ "I don't believe this... he...ARGH!"

Helga was totally taken aback because she'd never seen Arnold so irascible. "Whoa... hey - no need to get so furious their football head. Pigs exist and any human who happens to have breast and vagina will have to deal with their sliminess, unfortunately. But Arnoldo, I'm a big girl. I can handle him .. or any asshat that tries me."

He sighs. "You might be able to handle him or other guys who are disrespectful but that doesn't mean you should... especially if you have people who care about you. Who could keep you from ever needing to use old Betsy and the five avengers." Helga lowers her head to hide her swooning. He became a little self-conscious about what he just said to her because her body language and expression were unreadable. "Er... anyway he's the guy I got into it with on Monday."

She lifts her head up. "I know."

Arnold's gaze and body language softened even more once he starts studying her; a great deal. "But what you might not know is the reason for that fight."

Her eyes met his. "Um. I heard you two were fighting over Lila."

 _Uh, I won't be surprised if Lila herself started that rumor. What's gotten into her anyway? I mean I know she's not quite as innocent as she once was but she's really been bold lately._ His jaw clenched and he shook his head. "No, Lila and I are history... that honestly... should have never happened and will never be repeated." He squeezes his eyebrows together almost looking like he was in pain. "Actually, the fight was about you.."

Her brows rise instantly. "Me. Why me?"

He opens one eye to look at her and slowly the other. "Yeah... he was saying some disrespectful things about you... it all started because he saw me c-checking you out and I just lost all control... I'm not proud of fighting because I know it doesn't solve anything, but I don't literally regret it either. He had no right to say those disgusting things about you."

Helga's mind was racing taking everything he said. _How chivalrous of you to defend me even though you know I can do that myself. It's so... you. But_ _I never wanted him to turn brutal because of me! Please always stay my sweet gentle_ _prince._ A frown appeared _Wait?! Rewind! Did he just say he was checking me out?! Does that mean... Arnold is attracted to me?! I thought he liked 'perfect' girls like what's her face..._ She studies Arnold who seems to be rooted in his thoughts. _The only way to find out is to ask, I suppose._ "Y-You were checking me out?" She just barely manages to spit that out,

Her question takes him by surprise. _Did I admit that out loud just now? Oh, crap... now things could get crappy if she isn't attracted to me buuuut there's no point in lying now._ "Yeah I was.. ..."

She looks down running her fingers along her choker/necklace. "So you're attracted to me?"

 _You have no idea._ "Yes. I find you, very attractive."

That makes her feel like her brain had temporarily shut down and she would need a microchip to restore it back to present time. _He's attracted to me?! Helga G. Pataki Okay my mirror tells me that I'm not a dog and I know I have some good qualities physically speaking that make me visually appealing to the opposite sex, but ... Arnold the guy who's unconventional looking, but still handsome enough to be a soap opera or something, whose body is perfectly sculpted while not being bulky... shit his only flaw is still adorable and that boy finds me attractive._ _Aren't I looks and personality wise the opposite of what he usually looks for in girls? And yet ... he just said that I'm very attractive. That is what he said, right?_

"You find me." She gulps. "….Very attractive?"

"Yes, I do. Very much so.." He replies to her question shyly, his voice shaking.

He examines her now and saw that she was chewing on her lip. He was unsure if he made her uncomfortable or that she was just being reticent. Focusing on her lips then back to her eyes which at that moment found his - he felt in his gut that she was inviting him in. With one step he leans into her and without any warning he gave her a sweet yet frustrating kiss because he wanted to do more, but felt it was way too premature to let his desires take over. Right now he was merely testing the waters.

He pulls away marveling at how soft she was and how something so short and simple gave in more goosebumps than when he made out with girls of his past. Gazing into her big eyes and slightly quivering lips he felt at home but there was still some uncertainty about where her head was.

Helga's mind shut off. She had no thoughts. But feels overwhelmed, it was all too much, too fast, even though he didn't reveal all of his feelings.

Arnold continues to study at her face, she looked like a deer caught in headlights and her bottom lips was still slightly trembling. _Did my instincts steer me wrong here?_ "Helga, I'm sorry if I..."

A sudden turn of the knob and the door flying open and because of how close the two were standing at the look on their faces, the witness knew was going on.

Helga looks and Lila and back at Arnold then ran out of the room.

Lila watches Helga bolt down the hall and slam the bathroom door shut and with a flirtatious face she turns to Arnold. "Looks like she shot you down."

Arnold falls into the chair and covers his face. Lila takes this opportunity to come from to him and placed her hands on his shoulders and moved them down is arms. She kneels down more and kissed his neck. He flies up and grabs her wrist and pulls her into the chair. "Leave. Me. Alone." And leaves the room.

Turning on her heels and pouting on to another room to make up for not only getting rejected this night but being rejected for Helga.

A girl she never thought of as a threat. The fire-haired girl sashays into a bedroom to impulsively tongue down her prey hungrily and let him rip off her clothes and things quickly got very heated.

Once sexually satisfied lying next to her partner... thoughts of a certain blonde with a football head fad but unfortunately for her, his mind was still fixed on getting a certain blonde turned goth.

He sits up. "Now can you explain to me what you did wrong. Getting laid was the goal... but not with you. You were supposed to nail him so that I could get Pataki."

She rolls on her side and moves over to try to snuggle up to him. "Well, maybe it's just not meant to happen..."

He pushes her off. "Fuck! Did I ask for your opinion? You are not only a whore but you're annoying too. Christ, no wonder that pussy Shortman turned you down."

She feels shocked and offended that after sleeping with her - he still had his sights set on Helga. Lila was sure that as soon as they started having sex that there little scheme to get their targets that night had ended. She wonders what Helga had that made all these guys pine for her; first Arnie years ago and she knew he still had a thing for her, a popular guy name Adam along with Brendan and of course Arnold; who she thought was too good for Helga.

In her mind, she was clearly the better choice because of her beauty, style, grace and her ability to play coy in public and act like a wild cat in private to leave any man panting for more. She just didn't understand how they could choose the less refined eccentric girl who was once a bully to Arnold over her; a girl with a reputation for being impeccably well mannered and sweet.

Lila wraps her arms around herself as she continued to listen to him rant. Feeling emotions of envy and also despair. "I've been after this chick for years ... it was one thing when she went out with Adam... it angered me but at least he wasn't some sissy. No way am I gonna lose to a punk like Shortman who probably wouldn't know what to do if he had her naked on his bed! He can't satisfy a spitfire like Helga... if they got together she would run all over him I bet... she needs a real man to put her in her place and tame her. I'm gonna get her by any means necessary. I'm tired of playing her game... now she's going to play mine."

 **Thank you 4 the reviews**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the slow update, my schedule has changed. Thank you for the reviews.**

Arnold's legs are getting tired from pacing; he's right in front of the bathroom that Helga has locked herself inside. She's only been inside a few minutes, but from his point of view, it feels like she's been in there much longer.

He leans against the wall ad slightly bumps his head against it. _I was so sure that she…that she wanted me to kiss her…_ He glances at the closed door trying to put him in a hopeful mood. _Maybe she's just scared? Maybe I just surprised her…yeah, I think that's it._ He banged his head against the wall again looking up at the ceiling. _I hope that's it._ He put his hand over his heart and then moved it up to his lips and smiled big at the fresh memory of her lips against his. _I really do love her...God, she's so..._

He stops in his movements as he hears the door knob turn and Helga emerges out. Her eyes meet his for a flash and then she brushed past him.

"Helga…" He gently tugs at her arm. "I'm sorry—"

He lets go of her once she looked down at his hand around her arm. She played with one of her ponytails subtly. "I don't want to hear you saying sorry!" She yelled with some level of bitterness and then took a breath to calm herself. "Arnold we were both drinking, the punch was spiked of course and we said and did things in the heat of the moment it's nothing to talk about...nothing to apologize for." She brings her palm to her forehead and splays her fingers out to cover one of her eyes while shaking her head.

Arnold was searching her face with a definite frown. "Is that really what you think? That the kiss was in the heat of the moment? What about everything I said about being attracted to you?" _Shit, I wish I'd never agree to that heat of moment junk...sure it worked for me at the time, but now it's come back to bite me in the ass...because now she doesn't believe me._

Waiting for her response, he was tracking her every movement of her eyes, every twitch of her eyebrows, curl or drop of her lip. He let his eyes fell from her face down to her neck and to see her swallow. _She's nervous_ _..._ He looks at her mouth which she opens about to reply but is interrupted by the sound of Brendan's voice vibrating through the house. Arnold could also hear the sound of Lila's voice but his overpowered hers. At first, he was curious as to what was going on between them but he kept his focus on Helga because she was the most important person to him at this party.

She frowns viciously not even caring what the arrogant guy was saying or who he was speaking to. She just had no interest in sharing anywhere near the same space; even if it was a mansion. She gave Arnold a brief look, before turning to practically power walk down the hall. "I need some air…"

Her eyes told him she wanted him to follow so he did. "Okay..."

But it didn't matter it seems, his voice is louder although she was walking further of away. Helga felt like she was losing her mind as she moves through the long hallways. Her instincts were telling her she needed to leave and Helga always trusts her instincts so tried to bolt out of the large place as fast she could with Arnold right on her heels.

As she enters the main living room area; which is close to the exit, Ashley set her eyes on her and with much thought purposely put her foot out to cause her to almost fall. But Arnold quickly wrapped his arms around her to stop her. He held on to her for a second and instead of defending herself verbally or physically like she would normally she simply pulled out of his grasp and ran out the door.

He turns to Ashley and her group of friends with a glare. "I saw that, don't you all have anything better to do?"

"Arnold your taste in girls has gone straight down the drain, this is severely disappointing. I can't believe you went from Lila Sawyer and other hot girls...to her…she's not even pretty."

He practically grits his teeth in their direction and did a shake of his head. "You're right she's not just pretty, she's beautiful, a word that I would never use to describe any of your vapid brats." He gives Rhonda a quick look before turning to walk off and as he was doing so he saw Brendan standing in behind them shooting daggers.

Arnold under these hateful eyes also feels the need to escape this scene as quickly as possible. He ignores any of her other comments and ran outside to find Helga; who was pacing on the sidewalk in front of his motorcycle.

"Helga, are you okay?" He frowns not at her but at the situation. "I'm sorry some of those people can be real idiots..." He said while pulling his keys out of his back pants pocket.

She nods a few times, refusing to meet his gaze full on. "Don't apologize Arnold. I just needed to get out of there... and get some air." She gave him a glance and stopped her movements. "Honestly, I have no interest in going back inside, though, so I would like if we could leave."

He nodding in understanding because he felt the same way. "I figured, I don't want to go back in either either." His face softens as her eyes met his for a second but she removed the contact quickly and turns around. He moves in front of her to try to get a better look at her face. "But please don't tell me you want to do home. I would love to spend more time with you - I want a chance to talk about you and I and what happened...just not out here." He licked his lips on instinct once she looked up at him. "Please, we can go anywhere..."

Helga was staring up at him, searching his face, trying to find any evidence of insincerity but she failed to and her features; which had been tense, relaxed greatly. _I guess we could go to the EvilOlive..._ "Um...if you're interested there is a club I always go to." She began to feel more at ease now that she was outside and smiled a little, which was more of a smirk. "It's a far cry from what's going on in there so I don't know if your Mr. goody two shoe butt can hang."

Slowly his mouth curled up into a wide smile - realizing that she was in more of playful mood again. "I already informed you clearly that I have no problems getting a little dirty. I know I can hang." He climbed on his motorcycle and looked to her with flirtatious eyes. "C'mere."

Helga sits down and he starts up, peeking at her over his shoulder. "Don't be scared to hold on tight... Now tell me where we're going..."

"The EvilOlive." She lightly taps him on the back with a laugh and then wraps her arms around his waist. She could feel his body tense up at her touch. "Just start driving, I'll tell you how to get there.."

XOXOXO

Now on his motorcycle, the fall wind cooling them down, yet still Helga had a hard time resisting resting her head on his strong back or kissing him gently on his neck. Instead, she just held on to him breathing in his sickeningly amazing aroma.

Parking and climbing off to eagerly jog across the parking lot hearing the music booming from outside; they just had to get inside.

Going in, since this club tended to attract the more alternative, eccentric and maybe some goth or emo types, now it was Arnold's turn to receive some weird stares. They were probably wondering what that hot edgy girl was doing with a guy that from their point view appears to be a square or a stiff. But Helga holds his hand firmly just like he had done at the previous party. He pulls away from her to wait in line to order some nonalcoholic drinks against her protests.

He watches her as he parted through the crowds to reach a table full of her friends. She was surprised to see Curly there.

Jennie looks her up and down. "What - golden boy didn't show up?"

Helga matches her expression except more intensely. "Wrong - in your face he showed up and is over there in the drink line."

She rolls her eyes but smiles and pulls out a ten dollar bill to hand to her. "Fuck.. here... I guess you showed me!"

She laughs loud and manically earning a middle finger from her betting opponent. Once she was done rubbing victory in her face, she sat down and she could see that even though Curly was wearing his dark shades, he was avoiding looking at her.

Helga speaks to everyone and her eyes stop on him. "Thad." He looked over at her. "Are you still being a dick or have you gotten back to your normal self?"

Curly sips his drink without responding to her. "He's just being stubborn... he'll come around." One of her other friends told her.

Helga shakes her head and flips her wrist and turns away from him _Fine! be that way..._ Once she did she saw Arnold coming their way carrying a tray of drinks.

She gets up to take some of the glasses. "Thanks. You didn't have to buy all this."

He smiles lopsidedly at her and everyone else. "I know I didn't have to, I wanted to." He says with authenticity and shrugs once he sat down.

Once introduced officially to everyone he stares at a familiar face who was only sitting there. "Hey Curly, how are you?"

"Fine. He mumbles with little emotion and everyone who knows him knows he only likes that when he was angry, sad or tense. "You?"

"I'm good." Arnold's green eyes flickered onto Helga with affection; causing her to blush and then back to Curly. "Very good..."

Curly shifted in his seat and took his shades off getting everyone's attention. Now Helga, Arnold, and everyone else could see the slight sadness seething through. He makes a strange noise and glances at Arnold and to Helga; he let his gaze linger on her. "Look I'm acted like an ass earlier... I'm not going to divulge too much about our conversation Helga, but." He chuckles. "You were right... even about _her_." He winks at her subtly figuring that no one, not even Arnold knew who he was referring to at the moment - although it was no secret to those of PS 118 that Curly loved Rhonda. "I was wrong... Now I don't think I was wrong for being protective because I love you." His eyes shot to Arnold awkwardly. "In a strictly platonic way ...I still have some reservation about this new development... I can't lie. But I was wrong for being judgmental - that's usually not me and for not trusting you. But mainly for telling you I wouldn't be there for you if you had gotten hurt because that's the biggest lie I've ever told. I'll always be here for you... even if you don't want me to be...so... unlike you Pataki I don't have a hard time saying... I'm sorry."

All the girls sharing making 'awe' noises and hug Curly making him blush.

Tears threatening to come out but she held them in, she was a pro at that. She slammed her fist on the table."Wait! That was sweet and all Curly but what's with the jab... Helga G. Pataki has no problem saying sorry!"

Everyone at the table paused with raised brows and smirks at her. She wears a look of shock and peeks at Arnold who was softly chuckling. He sits up straight. "In Helga's defense. She might not say that word often but...she did say it to me earlier in the week." His shy gaze went to her and he grinned like a goon at the way she unintentionally flutters her lashes at him.

Helga grins in return to the point that her face began to ache. She plays with her hair girlishly gaining some more raised brows. "Thanks .. See us Pataki's do say sorry...you don't hear if often because we so rarely make mistakes."

After a minute or so of jokes and laughter, she got up and hugged Curly. "Thank you for saying that..." She mouthed the words. "I love you too." Then she and one of her girlfriends went to the restroom.

Arnold was feeling just slightly green at the moment. He fully understood the love they spoke about was friendship but he longed to say those three words to her and to hear her say those words back to him in return. He almost stood up to tell her in that moment but stopped himself. It just wouldn't feel right for him.

Curly looks at Arnold. "Oh and Arnold... sorry for bumping into you earlier that wasn't cool." Arnold accepts and a wide comical grin spread across Curly's face he drummed the table to the music. "Now that's the last sorry I'll have to say for tonight... but since I plan on being a bad boy tonight who knows." He put his shades back on only to lower them to the tip of his nose. "Any of you beauties care to meet me on the dance floor?"

A short redhead girl jumps up and yanks him by the arm making his glasses fly off but he didn't seem to care he ran along with her to bust a move as soon as they hit the floor. Once Helga came back she giggles watching them dance without a care in the world. One by one, potential suitors came over to ask her friends to dance. One very handsome older guy approached Helga, she turned him down politely. Arnold took that as his cue to ask her. "So Ms. Pataki, would you like to dance?"

With his question entering her ears, at this time she is finally able to focus on everything that has happened regarding Arnold.

 _This is feeling more and more like a something that starts with d and rhymes with mate... But it's not .. is it? He did kiss me. B_ _ut he had been drinking - lots of people kiss - it doesn't make it something more than that. But then he did say he always wanted to and the whole thing about fighting Brendan because he insulted me after seeing Arnold checking me_ _out_... The middle of her forehead crinkled up. _Damn you football head... after all this time... after I was beginning to get my once desperate urges for you intact you just had to glide that - that ... beautiful face of yours... back into my life getting me all stirred up...only to... press those soft lips against mine._ A long sigh fell out - matched with her glassy eyes staring into space caused her male companion to worry.

She feels warm fingers grace her arm gently and it make the small hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She flinched when she saw Arnold so close to her, crouching down to get her attention. She realized she had zoned out and she shuttered at what her face might have looked like. Thinking she probably looked like a deranged mental patient. But he didn't seem disturbed or anything - he straightened up and lifted his hand out. "Felt like I lost you for a second. I got a little nervous." He grinned. Are you okay?" She shut her eyes for a second because his low tenor voice was so soft and full of genuine concern. She lamely put up her thumb as a signal because she knew her voice would most likely crack and fail her. "Dance with me." He insisted nearly pleading.

She smiled coyly and let him lead her to the dance floor. The two of them began to dance with Arnold leading, she developed the biggest smile on her face as she followed his steps to the uptempo reggae music. She giggles, briefly presses her head into his chest while doing so and looked up at him. "You always could dance..." She compliments him in a whisper.

He beams. "Thanks...Yeah, my grandmother taught me how to dance to different music...she always would say a man should know how to dance with a woman...that it's a way into her heart." She notices how his grin slightly falters but remains on his face. His eyes water a little also. _Oh, Arnold..._ She thinks because of his mention of his grandmother who had passed away the previous year. Within she felt the urge to hug him because she had never had the opportunity to console him at the time of her death. Instead, she had sent a written speech for Phoebe to say at the funeral that was the best way she could console him at the time without letting her feelings for him get out of wack.

Arnold suddenly twirls her around pulling her out of her thoughts and bringing her close. The two were practically grinding at this point. The pair, along with Curly and the rest of her friends danced to several more songs until everyone was nearly perspiring. A laughing Helga grabbed Arnold by the arm and pulled him back to the table breathlessly demanding water; which Arnold got for her.

Helga was leaning on the table, her eyes scanning the room at familiar and unfamiliar party goers. She spots her friends still in their little huddle dancing and with a sigh she looks over at Arnold was sitting across from at the table. His chin is resting on the palm of his hands, brows both raised, intense yet affectionate eyes, one-half of his lip curls up. _Christ, he's fucking sexy...without even trying._ She feels shy under his gaze and blinks several times which didn't go unnoticed by him, but he only smiles more.

She searches the room again and turns back to him with a sigh. _These guys must be amped up on a red bull or something...I can't hang any longer._ "I'm worn out are you ready to go?" She anxiously drums her fingers on the table. "It's getting late..." She mumbles.

His brows twitched up with a nod. "Sure - I was waiting on you."

Her mouth slight agape her eyes bored into his and then she abruptly stood up. "Okay, then let's go."

She was followed by a cheesing Arnold.

Since the time he actually drove her to her house. Helga did not even think about her concerns over where she lives or her father. She climbed off his bike and clasped her hand behind her back, stepping up to her porch with Arnold trailing behind. Once she reached her porch she turned to him, he was smiling wide than a mile. Her eyes dropped to her shoes. "I-I...had a good time...thanks for this. I guess you _can_ hang." He reaches up slowly and lifting the small choker/necklace around her neck as he put it down his fingers slightly purposely graced her collarbone. _So soft._ He feels her gulp at his small gestures.

His fingers glide upward to reach her jawline with the slightest tenderest touch. "It was my pleasure." His voice was incredibly quiet but smoky, on the cusp of being lustful; which she didn't expect from Arnold. "So..." He starts as his fingers made it's way cautiously to brush against her lips. "About that kiss." He flashes a quick smile. "I would love to be able to do it again..." His expression sobers up. "Not just because I want to kiss you simply because of physical attraction or for the fun of it or just the pleasure of it...but because I..." _How much do I reveal here?_ He looks deeper into her eyes hoping that she could read his mind somehow. "I really like you, a lot and I was wondering if you could give me a chance...us a chance?"

His eyes darted around searching her face and she bit down her lip and looked at him with half-lidded eyes. He hisses softly to himself.. _Fuck it!_ He pulls her to him by the waist and with his other hand he cradles her face while his eyes pour into hers. He's close enough again to smell her honey scent. "You are so beautiful." He mouths to her right before he presses his lips smoothly against hers, letting both his love and lust for her take over him for a moment.

He slowly moves his lips from hers and looked at the dreamy-eyed girl who was now like putty in his embrace. He slowly parted his lips as his fingers gently stroked her face. "Sorry Helga I lied, I don't just like you - I love you."

 **Not much excitement this chapter - I hope it wasn't too dull. I don't know when I'll next update, but I'll try to start writing the next chapter soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, I was able to write this chapter sooner than expected. TY 4 the reviews guys!**

 _I love you...Sorry, Helga, I lied..._

 _I don't just like you - I love you._

 _He - Arnold said I was beautiful and he kissed me, again._

Helga kept repeating that in her head. Arnold brows fell along with the corners of his mouth as he is anxiously waiting for some kind of response from her, anything but dead silence and oh the faint chirping of birds and crickets.

His hands were still on her, fingers lightly brushing against her cheek the other on her waist, his touch matching the tone of his voice; silky. In the continuing silence, he stepped back, letting go of her completely.

 _Arnold, just because she said it in the fourth grade - doesn't mean she has those deep feelings for you now. We're teenagers, things have changed, a lot. But she still needed to know...I still needed to say it - it's been inside me for too long. So even if she doesn't love me back._ He frowns. _I had to tell her. I mean she had the guts to tell me when she was only nine, that couldn't have been easy at all for her._

Focusing back on her. "Helga, I-I didn't intend to put you on the spot, to make you feel like you had to say it back. I've been holding this in for a long time - too long to be honest."

He peers down thoughtfully. _Maybe I should...explain myself._ He looks at the doe-eyed girl. "I've liked-liked you since San Lorenzo." He laughs softly at his use of an elementary school phrase. "At ten years old, I didn't have the courage to tell you and before I knew it, I was moving away with my parents - which I was truly excited about, but I was terribly sad at the same time about leaving my home, friends, classmates, especially leaving you; since things were so unresolved between us. You had such a presence in my life, always, but at that point, my feelings for you changed dramatically. It hit me - and hard that the girl that I thought hated my guts and didn't want me near her - cared, loved me. With everything that happened between FTI and San Lorenzo, my eyes were opened to the fact that I liked you and cared just as much."

She finally blinks and starts blushing.

Gradually, Arnold's face lightens up and his mouth turns upward at her bashfulness. He reaches up and put his hand on her shoulder. "And it was last year at the time of my grandmother's funeral that I realized that I loved you, that I was in love with you. It touched my heart, the words you wrote about me, my entire family, but mainly grandmother." He chuckles softly. "I didn't even know you two had such a connection...but when I think about it - it makes sense...like her, you're just yourself no matter what anyone thinks, I've always admired that about the both of you."

He sighs. "I hadn't planned on telling you this...not that I necessarily planned to put it off either, but after what happened at the party I needed you to know how I feel. You need to know, that nothing I did was because of alcohol or being caught up in the heat of the moment. Everything I said or did was deliberate and knowing with a real intention on my part. I am deeply attracted to you and I do love you Helga...that's the honest truth." The way he spoke was so heartfelt and earnest, Helga had little choice, but to believe him. A grin on his mouth, resulting from the shininess glowing from her eyes.

Helga's face is animated; going through about a billion different expressions in a matter of a few minutes. _Arnold loves me? Yeah, it's plausible for him to be attracted to me. I mean come on I have turned out to be quite a_ _looker._ She giggles at her own thought. _But love is a whole different ballpark...and I can't believe he's had these feelings all this time...how could I have been so...blind...but then again we hadn't been in contact much over the years so how could I have really known?_

A scowl set into her features and a fist raises, landing a few jabs to his chest. Arnold practically yelps, not expecting to get hit and not expecting it to actually hurt a little. "Arnold you fucking idiot! YOU LOVE ME! YOU LOVE ME?! FOR A WHOLE YEAR?!" He nods, lifting his brows, a slightly wry smile on his mouth. "Then why are you just NOW telling me?!"

"Helga I-I'm sorry...I-I was..."

He's still speaking, but was she listening? No. Her eyes circled his face, a face that made her angry sweep away swiftly. _Aw, he looks shy and nervous right now._ _He's so handsome...he's so hot and he and he loves ME! ARNOLD LOVES ME, HELGA!_

Something in Helga's brain just snaps. After noting that her father's car wasn't in the driveway, she grabs Arnold by the collar and smashes her lips against his. Clearly startled by her sudden affection and her quick altered mood, but he caught on and kisses her back.

"Mmmm...Arnold." She moans against his mouth, causing one his brows to arch and snacks her legs around his waist. Helga gets off him to open the door, but once inside, she quickly resumes her previous position. With his mouth still deeply connects with hers and his arms wrapped around her - he kicks the door closed and took one hand off her to lock it.

He clumsily found his way up the short stairway to her bedroom, again using his leg to shut the door behind him. Now on her bed, hovering over her with his lips still moving fluidly to match her fervent motions.

Helga tugs at his shirt; which is a button down and she starts to unfasten the top three buttons. And her hands splay out on his collarbone and to his bare chest; making him moan. Slowly he moves his weight off her and looks deeply into her eyes, moving his gaze down to her silky soft full lips and tight curves of her body as she laid beneath him. _Jesus - is this what I've been missing all these years?_ He thought while practically burying his face in her neck; planting kisses on her skin.

He lifts his face putting his eyes on her lips, fighting the urge to kiss her again. "Um..." He starts and feels her hands running through his hair and moving down to wrap around his neck. "Wow ..." He sighs heavily. _Damn,_ _I have to be a gentleman..._ "I - I think...we should stop." He struggles to get those words out, his voice husky and shaky as a result of the motions of her hands.

Helga's whole forehead wrinkles up for a second. "Why?" She smiles widely.

He groans. _Christ Helga... don't make this_ _hard_... He seals his eyes up. _Bad choice of word._ Looking down at her, he smiles. "You're amazing. I just don't want to rush - this - I want it to be...special...um...I want to be able to take my time and cherish every moment." He scans the room and he recalled from when he enters how close the other bedroom was to hers. He assumes it was her father's room. "Without having to worry when Mr. Pataki might come in the door or something." _God, I must be the biggest square on the planet, I have this beautiful sexy girl right here and I'm turning her down?_ He wets his lips, moves off her and sits up on the bed across from her still staring at her, while he fastened his shirt. _But she's Helga...I don't want to have sex prematurely...I want to take her out on more dates - spoil her a little - a lot...if that makes me the world's biggest punk or something by guy standards then so be it... but she's worth it._

Helga finally sat up as well while shaking her head. Her cheeks rosy. _Wow, only Arnold could make me lose myself like that._ "Shit..." She frowned, looking away.

"What's wrong?"

She rolls her eyes, feeling reluctant to admit this. "I'm... a little embarrassed, to be honest." She climbed off her bed.

"Why are you embarrassed?"

She turns to face him. "Because I just threw myself at you like some... I've never attacked a guy like that ..." Giggling, covering her mouth. "Unless you count the kiss I landed on you in 4th grade." Just shaking her head she looks at him with shyness. "I shudder to think of what must really be going on in your mind."

"I'm not thinking anything negative." He looks thoughtfully once he understood what she was implying. "I don't think any less of you, you didn't do anything wrong I mean..." He shrugs. "It's not like you were alone in everything - I was right there with you - wanting it to happen just as badly... so it's okay. I just think we should wait longer before taking things to that level." After a few moments of them exchanging affectionate yet awkward glances, he stood up with a warm smile directed at her. "I think it's best that I leave, my parents might be worried, you know."

"Yeah." She nods with a smile of her own.

He moves to leave her room with her following behind; silently. Once he got on her porch, he turns to her. "I had more than a great time with you - I hope it's the start of many?"

She nods while grinning from ear to ear.

"Great, well Goodnight." He leans down to give her a tiny kiss and brought his mouth close to her ear. "Sleep well." He whispers quietly.

"You too. Goodnight."

His steps impeded by the voice of an angel. "Arnold - I love you too."

She stares at his back as his shoulders relaxed and he slowly steps away. Sighing blissfully at the sight his face, she never saw him smiling so big and see nearly all his teeth. She thought his face was going to crack and break. He slowly closes his mouth and presses his lips together as he stepped backward towards his bike with his hands stretched over his heart. He climbs on and she watched him drive off, she could still tell he was smiling even from a distance. Once he was out of her view, she took a deep happy breath and went inside.

XOXOXO

The next morning Helga woke up feeling like she had been hit in the forehead. Her head was throbbing. She stumbles out of bed and entered the bathroom cabinet to get an aspirin to take it along with food. Walking into her dad's room which was open and also empty, she frowned. "Where the hell is Bob, anyway?" She shrugged, taking out something to eat for breakfast. "Maybe he actually found a job, hopefully. I can't go on being the sole breadwinner on my crap salary." Though Bob still had enough money saved from his previous; which he sold.

After eating cereal, she was in the bathroom brushing her teeth and once she was done, she just stared at her reflection _. Oh, Arnold...You've finally made my girlhood dreams come true._ Looking at herself, she tilted her head to one side, bringer her fingers up to her neck. _Crap if it wasn't for this tiny hickey, I might have thought last night was a dream._

Now that her headache passes, she did her usual morning routine; a jog. While out, she had the strangest feelings going through her entire body that motivates her to pick up her pace. Something in her gut was telling her just like at the party the previous day to get home, once again she listened to herself. Getting back on her block, she spotted someone on her porch, getting closer, she is delighted to see him. He was just about to turn and leave but he saw her and stopped.

"Hey..." He smiles as he checks her out. "Exercising?"

She nods while still catching her breath. "Jogging...yeah..." She looks him over noticing his hands were behind his back. "What you hiding?"

His look becomes somewhat cheeky and he pulls out some daisies. She giggles and blushes. "For me?"

"Of course. I came over to ask if I could take you out, on a date? There's this new restaurant near Hillwood university that supposedly serves good Italian food."

With the daisies now in her hand, she brought them to her nose. "Sure. Come inside, for a bit." Once inside, she releases her hair from a high bun and let it fall freely over her shoulders and down her back.

He stares at her, his eyes slightly bugged out. "Your hair - I like it, you look good...not that you didn't look good before, but it's just different. I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair down, not that I recall."

Helga twirls her hair, smirks. "Yeah you have, you just didn't know it was me."

Arnold scratches his head and frowns. "What do you mean?"

She laughed softly and shrugged at him once she stopped. "Does the name Cecile ring any bells?"

She watches as the realization hit him and his face went through several different expressions. "That was you?" He asks incredibility.

Helga bites her lip and shook her head, yes.

He grins a muffled laugh slips out. "I can't believe that...I liked that girl, a lot after only that one time sees her...and she was...you, Helga." He shook his head and leaned into her, parted lips, closed eyes and he brushed up against her lips and kissed her briefly with great tenderness. He pulls back, eyes still fixed on hers. "That bit of info confirms that this...us - is meant to be." He chuckled and diverted his eyes away. "That might sound a bit cliche but..."

Before he could finish up that sentence she pulls him into her by the neck and gives with the softest yet most passionate embrace he ever had. "Um...wow."

She snickers and glances to the stairs. "I'm going to go get freshened up. Make yourself at home. We got the idiot box there, there might be something edible in the fridge if you get hungry - if Bob pops up a run and doesn't look back!" She gives a playful evil eye and he gulped; which elicited a bark of laughter out of Helga. "I was just joking silly."

"Right..." He rubbed his neck. "I knew that."

With a smirk, she turned away went to get changed.

XOXOXO

Instead of just doing lunch, Arnold and Helga spent the entire day together just enjoying the city. Now back on her front porch laughing about their day.

"I didn't expect to run into Pheebs and Geraldo, that was pretty cool."

He smiles wider. "Yeah, they were more surprised to see us, together."

Helga snorts. "Did you see tall hair boys face when I called you baby and kissed you on the cheek? That was priceless."

Arnold smile bashfully. "I know you were toying with him when you said that, but..." He rubs his arm. "I could get used to hearing that."

"Oh, is that so - well you're gonna have to earn that." She snickers and looked back up at the sky. After a second, she glanced\s at Arnold, who had moved right beside her. Helga had shifted into a rather thoughtful mood. "Hey Arnold, could I ask you something?"

"Sure. Anything."

She leans on her porch railing peering up at the darkened sky. "Why didn't you ever say anything since high school started?" She bit her lip nervously. "I understand back in 5th grade, we were little kids and a lot was going on but...once you came back everything things were different and if you had these types of - feelings for me why didn't you tell me? I understood when I thought you only thought of me as a casual friend, but for you to have that level of feelings and just hold it in, that's confusing."

 _I already answer this, but..."_ He chuckles. _From the look on her face before, she clearly wasn't listening._ "Exactly, things were different. You had turned into this cool athletic girl, with this edge...you always had an edge, but I don't know it was different. You were hanging out with all these girls and guys with that rock/punk or emo style and because I became a basketball player I fell into the preppy one...and—"

"So you didn't want to be seen with me, is that what you're saying?"

He glares at her. "No! Are you kidding me?!" He sighed seeing hr flinch a little at this tone, so he softened. "I was intimidated ...I thought that well... you wouldn't be interested in a guy like me anymore. It wasn't like a lot of girls were at the time and I always saw you with these guys that were so opposite me - even if they were just friends or associates it still made me feel - I don't know, insecure." He exchanges a few shy glances from her to his shoes.

"What changed this year?"

His mouth shapes into a thin smile. "I guess, I just grew a pair...I don't know...it's our last year, I knew if I didn't say something that I would miss my chance to be with you once graduation and college came around. I saw you on the first day, you lightly brushed past me and I got this chill through me and then you turned and gave me a quick look and I just melted at the sight of your eyes. I knew my feelings for you weren't going anywhere and in fact getting deeper by the day. It accumulated when I ended up going out of character a bit, punching a guy in the face because he was talking trash about you. There was this urgency that took over me, I just had to get next to you or else I felt like I would miss out on something real, something that doesn't come around often..."

"Oh..." She shakes her head. _Well, I feel like a jerk..._ "I should have known you didn't think like everyone else."

"It's okay, it's not like I gave you many reasons to think otherwise..."

A slight frown fills her forehead. "So... when you were dating Lila?"

"All I could think about was you, but Lila and I kept in touch when I was in San Lorenzo." Helga's face falls. "And I guess it felt like less of a risk of rejection or something to pursue her...that's not something I'm proud about."

Helga sits down on her porch chair, looking down at her hands. "Sorry, I never wrote you I-I it's just too much and I didn't know what to say... I didn't know how to just be casual and ignore how I felt even in writing...especially in writing."

Arnold sighs heavily. "Sounds like we've wasted a lot of years due to fear or miscommunication, maybe a mix of both."

"Yeah." She mutters.

"That won't be the case now. I promise." She stares at him with the tiniest of smiles. Arnold reaches into his pocket to pull out a box and hands it to her.

She glimpses from the box to him with a slant to her eyes. "What is this?"

He takes it from her and opens it to reveal a necklace. He took it out once Helga had a chance to look at it, he lifts her hair to put it on her. She admires the small heart shape and backs up at him curiously. "It's beautiful, but why...?"

"Turned it over." He says against her ear. She did so, to see A & H with a mini arrow through it. When their eyes met, he sighs happily. "I bought it a year ago in hopes that...one day I could give to you...at the right time. Um - as a way of affirming my commitment to you." He flashed her the biggest smile. "I want to make things official. I know it's early and everything, but well I've wanted you for so long and knowing now that you feel the same, I can't picture myself going another day without you being my girlfriend."

She's in complete awe and he chuckles at the sight. He takes her hand. "So, will you be my girlfriend Helga?"

Laughing and he laughs along with her. "That was so mushy!" She says using dry humor and kisses his lips. "But so you."

He wriggles his eyebrows at her. "Is that a yes?"

She rolls her eyes with a broadens smile. "Yes!" An audible heavy breath escapes her. "Of course, I'll be your girlfriend, football head!" She kissed him on the cheek a few times. "Thank you." She says while lifting up her necklace.

Arnold pulls her into a tight hug and then his mouth collide with hers; a kiss that lasted for what seemed like several minutes. Moving away, he observed her house and the surroundings, the cheesy grin is replaced by a frown. "Where's your dad, Mr. Pataki?"

Helga shrugs lightly. "Beats me. Bob's been missing in action."

"Oh...that means you're alone in that house? He wasn't here last night either." He mumbles with concern. "If you want, you can—"

Helga smiles but shakes her head. "I'm fine..." _Oh, Arnold...you're always so caring._ She did a small shrug. "I've been alone more times than I can count."

He stares at her for a long moment. "Are you sure?" She nods. He still had concern all over his face but decides not to argue with her. _If she says so..._ "Alright, but call me if you need anything."

The two of them said their goodbyes. Arnold watches Helga go inside, then made his way to his motorcycle. He was about to start up when he heard a loud scream, followed by a growl and the sound of things breaking. His whole face dropped opened and his keys fell to the ground. "Helga?!"

 **Hopefully, I'll get to write the next chapter just as quickly. TY 4 reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

Helga goes inside her house, with the most dazed over look on her face and makes her way to her room, she releases a joyous sigh and looks down at the necklace around her neck, having no plans of taking it off.

Normally, Helga's spidey senses were up, but after spending such an amazing day and receiving a wonderful goodbye from her current boyfriend Arnold. She never expected that one day that Arnold; the boy of her dreams, would one day reciprocate her love. Especially since the two of them didn't run in the same circles and on the surface very opposite. For that reason, as she enters her bedroom, her defenses were down for a chance. But even in this moment, she still she has the strange, frightening and prickling feeling of being watched.

She was just about to turn on her heels and bolt out of the room as fast as she could when she realizes, unfortunately, her intuition was correct. But at that point, it was too late. Suddenly she's unceremoniously is slung like a rag doll onto her bed. On reflex, Helga releases a roaring scream at the sight of a male figure with a black mask on his face. Her voice echoes through her house and could be heard outside; which her attacker tried to overpower with a loud growl. She takes a blow to her upper cheek area after connecting a few to her the unknown man, using anything she could reach to bash his head with.

Arnold's jaw fell open and he drops his keys and rushes to the door in a flash. Yelling out her name, yowling in sheer fright, confusion, and uncertainty, his eyes watering, face bloodshot red, his fist pounding desperately against the door, still hearing her swearing and the blatant sound of items being broken. In a state of pure panic, he takes out his phone and to call the police.

Inside the Pataki home, things were happening fast, Helga is struggling to get a masked male off her, his hand snaked up her skirt causing her to scream out, but he covers her mouth. She is using every bit of her physical strength to try and fight him off, it was enough to stop him from his hands from touching her any further, but not enough to stop his actions altogether.

Arnold quickly sprinted to the side of her house and climbed the vein to in her broken window. Suddenly the man jumped out that very window. Helga realized it was because of the sound of sirens shrieking at a distance. Arnold jumps down and runs after him, tackling him down, he manages to worm enough away from him to kick Arnold twice in the face and escape his grasp.

Arnold rolls onto his side and quickly hops up, searching the surroundings with eyes and couldn't locate anyone. Looking to the window, belonging to his girlfriend he impromptu scaled the wall and ungracefully fell inside her room, see her across the room, he rushed over immediately wrapping his arms around a cowering Helga.

"Helga..." He moves away enough to examined her lightly bruised face. "Oh, Helga.." His voice is soft but knotted with pain. He tugs her and engulfs her into a hug her again, gliding his hands up and down her back and to her hair. He kissed her hair and brushed his fingers faintly on her the slight bruise. "Did he...?"

She shakes her head knowing exactly what he was asking. "No." Her voice is flat.

His eyes move down to the wrecked up room. "I'm calling the police, okay...I thought I heard them just a minute ago..."

She gives the slightest nod. "You did, that's why he ran off."

"I called the police They should be here soon." He tried to keep his voice calm for her benefit, but he was bubbling with a mix of multiple emotions of anger, sadness, worry, fear...

He keeps one arm around her protectively and stayed that way as he called him and as he waited for their arrival; which fortunately was quick because there is a station not too far away from where she resides. The police came inside the house and investigated Helga's room and briefly question her and Arnold then she was taken to the hospital for a routine check.

While still at the hospital the police also asked questions about her parents specifically the whereabouts of Bob Pataki, since Helga is seventeen and a minor in a home alone. She assures the officers that her father is typically in the home and some amount of parental guidance on a daily basis. The officers accept that but also highly encourage Helga not to spend the time in her house and to stay in the care of loved ones. Helga doesn't have any close relatives in the city and she didn't want to scare Phoebe and her parents so she decides to go with Arnold; who already had made up in his mind that she would come to the boarding house to stay until these were safe.

She puts her arms tightly around him. He looks at her over his shoulder. "We're going to the boarding house, okay?"

She didn't say anything, only squeezes him at his ribs even tighter, he drove off.

XOXOXO

Arnold had called his parents while he was on his way home from the hospital, letting them know of his whereabouts. He was pretty vague on the phone, but assured his parents he would provide a suitable explanation, but he does inform them that he'll have a guest with them, someone they'll most likely recognize.

Stella reaches up to attempt to cradle Arnold's face; which had cuts and bruises from being hit in the face during his very brief shuffle with Helga's attacker, but Arnold pulls back, whispering to her that he was fine.

"Mom, dad...this is Helga Pataki, I'm sure you remember her." He decided the time to talk them being a couple could be put off at happier moments.

"Well of course we do," Stella observes her face, noticing deep traces of tears but most concerning a slight bruised eye and cheek. "What happened sweetheart?"

Helga clears her throat. "A person with a mask on broke into my house and was hiding in my room when Arnold dropped me off and when I walked into my room he attacked me, it was attempted rape.." She looks up to see the fear in Stella and Miles eyes. "But he heard sirens and ran off. All I got was a few bruises...they'll heal soon." She pressed her lips together tightly. "It could have been worse." She shrugs, resting all her weight on her right side.

Arnold pulls his eyes off her and to his parents. "When I spoke with the police they suggested that she spend the night elsewhere and I thought that she could stay here. Um...I have plenty of space in my room if that's okay with you mom and dad."

Miles places a firm palm onto Arnold's shoulder. "Of course, Helga or any of your friends are always welcomed here, especially when something awful like this happens."

"Helga if you need anything at all, please let me know. Have you spoken with your parents?"

She shakes her head. "No. I don't live with my mother, she remarried and... I haven't spoken in a few days with my dad... well he hasn't been home." She shrugged; drumming her fingers on the kitchen table next to her. "I think he got a new job or something. I hope so... at least." She yawns at the end of her statement.

Miles and Stella exchange concern glances with each and Arnold. "And you've spoken with the police and been to the hospital correct." She looks back and forth between Arnold and Helga who both nod their heads. "Okay, of course, sweetheart you can stay here as long as you need to." Stella smiles at her. "We're always welcoming to any of Arnold's friends and classmates. Besides, if it weren't for you Helga, Arnold wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to travel to San Lorenzo to find us and your actions once you arrived, were nothing less than heroic." She stretches her arms out and pulls Helga into and tight hug. "You'll be safe here with us." She turns to her son. "Go on and go upstairs so she can get settled in, I'll be up to check on you two."

XOXOXO

Once Stella had come in to give Helga a pair of her pajamas and exchange a few words, Arnold began pacing like a wild man, swearing up a storm and making accusations. He had been doing so for several minutes in a row, nonstop. "I know it was him!" He pulled at his hair. "That son of a bitch, I know it was him!"

Helga was sitting on his bed, watching him with concern. "Hey, can you please sit down and calm down, you're driving me nuts." For Helga, her voice comes out small; weak sounding even.

He stops at the sound of her voice. "No! How are you so calm?!" He asks incredibly.

She sighs. "I'm just as upset as you are Arnold, this happened to me, but there's no point in barking out my hatred...sorry I did enough screaming in my room while trying to stop that fuckhead from fucking raping me, rape Arnold..." She repeated to convey the seriousness of the situation, she hiccuped and brought her crossed arms to her chest. "So excuse me, I'm so sorry for not having the energy or desire to yell and curse right now."

Helga glares at him, but then she goes blank and finally sadness registers on her face. Arnold takes a deep breath. _I'm being an insensitive, ass._ He sits down on the bed in front her and cups her cheek with his palm while staring at her. "I'm sorry Helga." He presses a tender kiss to her cheek, pulling back to give her a meaningful stare. "I-I know you're angry too, I know you're also scared, I'm was just furious. I still am. I should have been able to protect you."

She shakes her head, disbelieving. "Arnold you—"

He raises a finger to her mouth. His face softened, appearing more empathetic towards her. "I know what you're going to say... but I can't help, but think that. Regardless, you're right, I need to calm down." She looks at him and sees the muscles in his jaw tensing and tightening up. "If and when I see that piece of shit..." Arnold perused his room, avoiding meeting her gaze. "I can't promise that I'll be calm then."

Helga just sighs and stiffens up. Arnold's gaze drops and his brows knit when he saw something missing on her person. His fingers grazed her neck faintly. "Helga, your necklace." He murmurs.

Her head drops swiftly, looking down at the missing jewelry piece, he had just given her. "Oh..." A single tear fell out of her left eyes, he wipes it away.

"I-It's okay...that's not..." His eyes locked securely on hers. "we'll get it back, or I'll replace it. What's important is that you are okay, that... in addition to either making sure he gets locked up, or at least that he suffers some serious physical pain." He cracks his knuckles and with a brief intense glare.

She wants to tell him, no, to stop making threats, to not act out of anger, but nothing escaped her lips,except a tiresome declaration,"I want to just go asleep...it's late and I'm tired." Her voice free of much emotion.

Arnold nods. "Alright, you can have the bed, of course." He leaves the room so they could both change into their bed clothes.

Once he came back into the room after her assurance that she was dressed, she was already underneath the covers. He peers down at the sight of the side of her face. "Goodnight Helga." He whispers and leans in to kiss her faintly on her temple.

He goes to lay down on the coach and just when he settled in, "Arnold...?" He hears her softly call to him.

He sits up. "Yeah? Helga, are you okay? I thought you were sleep."

She shifts and brings herself up on her elbows to look at him. "Um almost...but I don't think I could sleep here...I mean...alone." She sighs. "I just..." She fastens her eyes shut. "don't want to sleep alone..." She says softly; bearing quite a bit of shame and hesitation in her voice at this admission.

He doesn't say anything, instead just does as she requested and climbs under the covers next to her and wrapped his arms around her. To the pair were fast asleep in a matter of a few minutes.

XOXOXO

The following week at school, Arnold is walking through the hallways and he spots the person he was looking forward to physically destroying coming out of a classroom and going to his locker.

Arnold looks in a doorway and peeks behind it waiting for the lingering students to leave the hall. Without even an inkling of a warning, he charges him full swing, tackling him to the ground in one fluid motion.

Unfortunately, before Arnold could bring a fist to his face he was pulled off my Coach Wittenburg. He pulls Arnold roughly. "Come on son..." Arnold got away from him for a second, but he is yanked right back. "Arnie... you don't want to do this! Think about the team...think about your future!"

Arnold was still seeing red and didn't hear a thing that was said to him. Instead, he was reeling in his own anger, expressing unadulterated wrath. "I know it was you! I know you tried to attack Helga! You were at her house last night! I know it was you!" His last reply his voice cracked as hot tears were pouring down his face; which was more of a release of anger than sadness per say. Coach tugs him into a room and shut the door behind him.

Brendan is still in the hallway and unbeknownst to him, someone; two students specifically witnessed the whole thing that went on between the two basketball stars. One student is a close ally of Helga's and also someone whose been classmates with Arnold for several years, in a huff moves up to Brendan.

He slightly pushes Brendan in the back to get his attention. "What's the deal? What did you do to Arnold? He would never attack someone like that without there being solid...logical reason."

He whips around and immediately flips him the finger and flicks his wrist dismissively. "Kick rocks loser..." He turns back around and starts to walk away.

A short-lived chuckle comes from Curly because he spots someone in a nearby corner, forcing him to make a hard decision to not physically retaliate. "I'm just expressing curiosity, he said something about Helga Pataki...what was that about?"

He stops with only a few fluid motions he has Curly corned. "Look! Mind your fucking business, this doesn't concern you!"

Curly grits his teeth, suppressing his natural instincts to defend himself and his friend. "It does concern me, Helga is my best friend...really she's like a sister to me and if you did something to her I swear to God I—"

"You'll do what?! Huh, what could a skinny freak like you possibly do to me? You're unpopular and have no power, just like Pataki girl." He pushes and shoves at Curly, making the back of his head hit the locker. Brendan in an intimidating attempt brings his face severely close to Curly's for a second and then backs up, "You couldn't kick your own ass." He laughs out. "You know who I am? I'm Brendan fucking Sanders any hot pussy I want at this school, I'll get by any means necessary! Because no girl turns me down, that's not how this works."

His breath hitches. "What's that got to do with Helga?"

Bringing a finger to point in his face he grinned maliciously. "You know exactly what that means trash bag, this time... I'll see all of Helga soon... real soon. She'll be screaming my name out in pleasure...whatever she wants it or not. Since you're a good friend of hers, tell her ... that I love all the pink in her room." He winks with an arrogant grin and unhanded Curly to tromp down the hall.

Once Brendan vanishes around the corner of the hallway, Curly jumps over to the unsuspecting individual with the slightest appearance of a smile. Looking at the device in his hand and then into his eyes. "Did you get all that?"

XOXOXO

 **I didn't get a chance to edit - I've been having a busy schedule plus poor internet connection lately... but I hope it was okay a read**

 **ty 4 the reviews;P**


	10. Chapter 10

Curly is vaguely listening to Brendan as he is shoved him against the locker because he spots someone hiding in an empty classroom doorway holding what appears to be some kind of camcorder. He is happy, but also deeply surprised to discover the person hiding in the shadows is in fact, Lila Sawyer.

Once he was long gone, Curly rushed so fast over to Lila, he was so excited that someone had recorded it, and for a split second, he didn't question the fact that the person was Lila. "Did you get all of that?" He asks her with panic like enthusiasm in his voice.

She wordlessly switches the camera into playback mode and hands it over to him. He watched for a few seconds and looked at her. "Wow, that's pretty vivid in picture and sound." He watches the remaining footage and once it was over he ran a hand through his hair looking at the red haired girl. "Um…why – what made you – do this…?"

 _Lila Sawyer is trying to help Helga… I thought she had turned into a jealous ... backstabber? I suppose - I was wrong?_

Then he notices that she is wearing black shades and could see a hint of a bruise on her left cheek even from a distance.

Lila's eyes fell down, her smiling fading completely. "Well at first I was jealous of Helga. That she's with Arnold…because some old feelings for him came back and when Brendan presented me with this plan to hook up with Helga and simultaneously win Arnold back – I couldn't pass up on the opportunity." She runs her fingers through her hair which was surprising loose from her usual braids. "But – I learned too late that Brendan is a horrible person… not that I'm anywhere near perfect, I can't change what I've done in the past, but I can do something to stop him..." She sighed and handed over her camera to Curly.

He raises his finger up to her face but flinches. "Did he do that to you?"

She nods. "Yes, he's an ever so awful person who deserves to be punished for his actions."

She shakes her head and points to the device in his hand. "It's not about me…" Her smile was small and shy. "Make sure that gets into the right hands. Arnold and Helga… they can keep it. There isn't anything on there; except for that video of Brendan... it's a new camera. I know you're a good friend of Helga so I figured you are the best person to hand this over to. The authorities need to see this before this thug wearing a basketball uniform and a cocky grin harms her or any girl..." She starts to trample off but turns around to face Curly. "Let them know I said I was ever so sorry – to Helga for even agreeing to that silly plan and to Arnold for just behaving foolishly. Thank you ever so much Curly." Before Curly could say anything she scurries off.

But Curly dashes off quickly as well.

XOXOXO

Arnold finally is able to leave Coach Wittenberg's office; the halls are pretty empty except he hears the loud thumping for feet pounding the floor. He turns his neck to see Gerald running up to him panting a little.

He puts a hand on Arnold's shoulder. "I heard - you got into a fight or almost got into a fight rather with Sanders again. Tell me what happened. I hear it evolved Pataki some kind of way."

Arnold felt anger washing over him again. "Helga was attacked last night and I know it Sanders that was involved."

Gerald's jaw drops practically to the floor. "I-Is... she okay?"

Arnold finally looks directly at his best friend and answers him with a head nod at first. "Helga stayed at the boarding house last night - my parents, the police think it's best that she stays there - until this person ... Brendan is locked up or at least until her father gets home." his brow furrowed. "It's weird that Mr. Pataki has been gone days at a time and apparently that's been the case lots of time in the past, I mean I know Helga's independent and stuff, but she shouldn't be in that house by herself." He shakes his head. "Anyway, I don't know if I can contain myself if I have to see Sanders again. I know he was the person that broke into her house and the fact that he's here enjoying his day, enrages me."

Gerald puts his other hand on Arnold's other shoulder. "I'm sure - something's going to -"

He stops speaking mid-sentence due to seeing a crazed looking Curly hauling ass towards them with something in his hand. His face split into a huge smile once he sees Arnold in particular standing at the end of the hallway.

"Arnold, Arnold, stay there!" He sprints up to a startled blonde guy. "I-I... no Lila... recorded some evidence of what I think Brendan attempted or is going to attempt on video..." He shoves it into Arnold's palms and looked up to see Arnold frowning, obviously processing all the information being thrown at him from a high sprung Curly. Hearing the name Lila, threw him off.

"Um... this is Lila's camera?"

"Yep, Lila Sawyer, after your little shout match with Brendan, I confronted him. I was gonna kick his ass, but then I saw her in the doorway hiding with a camera recording everything so I tried to just get him to talk rather than right."

"And she recorded somewhat? Incriminating footage of Brendan to help us..." He says as more of a statement than as a question.

Curly repeats his gestation. Arnold had a look of disbelief. "That's - I can't believe it."

Curly nods his head in agreement. "Yeah I couldn't either. But it doesn't matter, who, what, when, where and why's - what freaking matters is that I think - I can't promise - but I think we got this asshole pretty much confessing to his crime. I don't know the details of exactly what happened to make you want to kill him earlier because I haven't seen or spoken to Helga since we were all at the club, but it is obvious that he has sinister intentions and we have to stop him before he acts on it. So please get this to the police." The bell rang and Curly hauls off.

Gerald stares at Arnold with a look of awe. He relaxes his expression quickly. "Now that's a miracle working in your favor buddy." He points to the camera in his hand. "You need to get that to the cops as soon as you can, the guy needs to be behind bars."

Arnold nods and his features tensed up. He would honestly do anything to ensure Helga is safe and to make sure that this monster of a person is taken down. "Oh trust me I will."

XOXOXOXO

Stella and Miles suggested that Helga stays home for the day; which initially she was against, but his parents convinced her to take a day off. Helga thought about, she didn't want to have to see anyone and being asked what's wrong fifty million times, she also didn't want to see Brendan. As a result, Miles and Stella called the school to inform them that Helga wouldn't be in.

She actually had perfect attendance; therefore her absence will be apparent. Arnold still needed to go, for one thing, he is going to obtain any assignments she has in her classes, but also he wanted to confront Brendan and for him to realized that he was aware of his actions. He also didn't want any other strikes against him, since his fight the first day of school.

Arnold picks up her assignments and left as soon as his last period was over with. He sped all the way home and ran into the boarding house and up to his bedroom at high speed. He says her name behind the door at first and when she responded he came in. She's sitting at his desk on his computer.

He smiles at her although she could clearly see tension all throughout his face and upper body. "Hey." He rushes over to kiss her on the forehead. "So - here are your assignments from school and ..." He pulls out the camera. "Most importantly, here is a camera which contains video footage of Brendan in some way admitting to what he did or what he intends to do. Curly gave it to me but apparently it's Lila's camera."

Helga's eye widen once he pressed play and she watched the video of Curly in heated communication with Brendan. She sees as he shoves him against the locker and said some specific things about her. "Whoa, alright so..." She stands up. "We have to get this to the police, like now, like right now..." She picks up her phone, "Pheebs was gonna come over, but I'll text her that we're going to the police station..." She finishes and looks at Arnold. "Okay, let's go."

XOXOXOXO

Arnold walks slightly ahead of her with his hand wrapped firmly around hers as he approaches the long counter. There is only one officer who was available at that moment so he approaches. "Hello Sir, we're here regarding the case of Helga Pataki." He gestures slightly to her. "There was a recent attempted assault committed against her in her home and we have actual evidence to hopefully warrant an arrest."

The office puts up a single finger, indicating to give him a second to pull up the information, which seems to take longer than expected to confuse both Arnold and Helga. "Can miss and sir, please have a seat and I'll be with you momentarily."

Arnold and Helga do as instructed and reluctantly go to sit down in the small chairs; which were far away from the counter and up against the wall. The place is much crummy and had an old foul odor which was bothering Helga in particular. After waiting for some time, she grew tired of just sitting there and started to place.

Arnold watches her do this for as long as he could, but then he wraps his hands around her waist. "Please sit down, you're going to–"

 _I need to get out of here..._ "No, I can't sit, if I sit, and have to smell that disgusting odor or in that corner I'll keep up vomiting all over this nice clean establishment..." She definitely raises her voice to be heard by others. She glances at Arnold. "Sorry but I'm just..."

He still had both his hands on her waist and he was gently pulling her towards him, but Helga got a look at the officer who was supposed to be helping them laughing on the phone and she yanked out of his hold.

A ticked off and impatient Helga steps back up to his desk, putting both her hands flat on his desk. She clears her throat dramatically. "Excuse me Sir; are you going to help us at some point in this century?"

He continues his conversation and was chuckling a little. "No just some bratty little girl - okay speak with you soon, bye." He hangs up the phone and resumes his work and doesn't look up at Helga standing right over him.

Helga clears her throat once more. _This is why I hate 90% of humanity sometimes..._ "Did you hear what I said, or were you too busy being incompetent?"

"Please, young lady, lower your voice and fix your tone and watch your choice of words. Like I said before I will be with you in one soon."

Helga groans and glances at her watch. "You keep saying that but we're been sitting here for an hour and a half ... " Arnold got up and came beside her immediately putting his hands on her shoulders, moving his hands gently in circular motions to be comforting towards her. "I know you look at me and my boyfriend as just another pair of teenagers, who shouldn't be taken seriously, but we're human like you, we're not just some dumb kids you can just treat like we don't exist."

She hits the counter with one of her balled up fists and continues. "This isn't some petty case, we're talking about attempted rape here; which might not be serious to you at the moment but it damn sure is very serious to me and billions of other people out there who been through it. It's not just about me," Arnold lightly buries his face into her hair and then kisses her. "It's about someone else he could do this too. This maniac could be assaulting someone at this moment and won't you feel horrible for your negligence if that someone..." She glanced at the family picture right next to his keyboard. "Happen to be your own daughter." That gains his attention and he finally looks at her and her eyes; which were full of anger, soften, along with her voice. "She looks close my age ... I don't want that to happen...so put off whatever it is that you're doing and let me help you get this monster off the streets before he hurts some innocent girl." She reads his name tag. "Please, Officer Smith."

He stares at her for second and then at Arnold who was still just rubbing her shoulders with a great deal of tension in his face and he sighs. He then gets up while picking up some paperwork. The large size man begins to walk around the counter and motions from them to follow him into a more intimidate office.

When they sit down he looks at Arnold. "Is it necessary for your boyfriend to be in this room, Ms. Pataki?"

Arnold jaw visibly tightened even more. _You're gonna have to get back up, to get me out of this room - you lazy, unsympathetic moron._ He bit down hard on his lip to stop himself from saying anything because he knew it would nothing _professional._

Helga frowns. "Yes, he was there when the crime occurred."

Officer Smith faintly nods and Helga glanced at Arnold who was just sitting looking straight ahead with his arms folded. He looked as if he had no plans of leaving Helga's side even if he were asked to. He was more than peeved that Helga had to beg him to actually take what they were speaking about seriously and he wanted to make sure this guy actually does his job and does it correctly.

"Very well then -" He turns his computer screen around. "I have your information on my screen." He moves it back to face him. "So this was a crime of attempted rape Saturday night in Ms. Pataki home. The masked suspect also committed a breaking and entering and was in Ms. Pataki's bedroom when she walked in. Boyfriend Arnold Shortman is the only one aside from Helga Pataki herself who witnessed the crime. Is that correct?"

"Yes sir, that is correct."

"And you have evidence that proves that a particular individual is, in fact, the perpetrator? Is that accurate?"

Arnold reaches into to hand over the camera; which he already had the specific video up for him to watch. "Yes, it's a video on that camera sir, all you have to do is press play and you will be able to watch."

After reviewing the whole thing, Officer Smith takes out a form. "Could you please give me as much information about this particular individual as you possibly can?"

Arnold sat up slightly and gave him detailed info including; full name, age, address, and school of attendance and any other random details he wanted to include.

He finishes writing, and then transfers and saves the video onto a flash drive. "Very good," He actually looked impressed and his attitude gradually improved since the couple entered his office. "Well I will get my men right on his case and we will give you a call once we have the suspect in our custody."

He stands up and shakes both of their hands after giving them his direct information.

XOXOXOXO

Helga and Arnold were walking back to his vehicle when an uncharacteristically emotional Arnold stops her once everything that just happened sank in and he brings her into a tight hug. He pulls away slightly and kisses her forehead and then he cups her face with both of his hands. "You were great in there, how you stood up for yourself and advocated for better service. You never hesitate to speak up when things aren't being handled properly. You've always been that way, I admire that about you, quite a bit." His fingers were lightly brushing against her face. "You're so strong and amazing Helga, I love you and I'm very proud to have you here in my life."

She stares at him for a second, her eyes slightly watery. She giggles a little, out of feeling shy as the result of the strong conviction behind his words; which her heart in a smile. "Um... ha..." She shook her head, grinning. "I'm not good at saying this kind of stuff, it's not really a Pataki strength... but..." She locks eyes with him. "Thank you for being here for me Arnold, you're wonderful, kindhearted... everything good in the world and I love you too."

He leans in and tenderly kisses her, slowly moving his hands along her back in the most genial affectionate matter she ever felt. He pulls away and flashes the widest smile; she could nearly see every tooth in his mouth with his hands on her waist. "So...we should get home and let my parents know everything and try to get contact again with your father." He frowned a bit but that faded and was quickly replaced with a more hopeful look as he went to open her door and get inside himself to then drive off.

Later on, that evening, after everyone ate dinner, Miles and Stella drove Helga to her house. She looked around to see any signs of anyone being in there, nothing had been moved or stolen. She goes into her father's bedroom, looking at how the bed was just as neat as the last time she made it up several dates prior. Her eyes tear up slightly, but none fell out, she nodded a few times, biting down on her bottom lip and then exited his room. Helga enters into her own bedroom, goes into her closet and grabs her suitcase and begins to pack. Stella comes into her bedroom, stares at her for a moment thoughtfully and then she moves beside her and begins to help her pack her clothes. Arnold comes into the doorway and watches his mom and his girlfriend; once they were done he picks up the bags. The three of them didn't say much of anything as they placed her things into Miles trunk and he drives them back to the boarding house.

XOXOXOXO

The very next day, at school, Arnold was sitting eating lunch outside in the courtyard with Helga, doing everything to make her laugh, one thing because he loved her laugh, but also because he wanted to keep her in a positive mood.

Suddenly, Helga heard the sound of sirens; which seem to be heading closer, very close. Her eyes followed as the officers entered the building and Helga jumped to her feet and dashed inside the school as fast as she could with Arnold trailing directly behind her.

As she searched through the halls, she was determined to see it, to see the guy who tried to steal her pride and self-respect being arrested. She wanted to see him in handcuffs. Two security guards have rounded the corner at the opposite end of the hall behind them. Seeing the two blonde students running "Hey you two! Stop running in the building if you want to run, wait until you are outside the school grounds." Both of them ignoring the demands turned another corner when both of them were halted in their steps by officers. Eighteen-year-old Brendan Sanders is being put into handcuffed on charges of attempted rape and breaking and entering.

"I'm Helga Pataki, I'm the reason this _person_ is being arrested!" She said looking directly at the officers who said nothing to make her quiet down, but in fact seem to be holding him still so that she could continue. She narrows her eyes at him. "I hope you catch hell in there, you tried to break me, you tried to take my pride, but look." She stretched her arms out. "you failed, you filthy swine, you're not a man! You're nothing!" She grimaces and lifted a finger pointed at him. "I don't usually wish this on anyone, but I hope in jail, they do to you - what you attempted to do to me!" She shouted loud enough for Brendan to clearly hear. And he did, loud and clear and turned his head, to bounce his eyes back and forth between Helga and Arnold as he was being escorted out. His dark eyes lingered on Helga for what felt like the longest moment and right as he before his face was out of sight he winked at her. Helga felt her a sharp chill go through her entire body at that and Arnold pulled her face into his chest.

School staff was trying to get both Arnold and Helga out of the hallway, but they were just caught up in their own embrace.

He kissed the top of her head and nuzzles his chin into her hair as he watched him being driven off. He moves his mouth close to her ear and whispers, "He's gone..." He tightens his hold on her for a second, as he could feel her trembling very slightly and shuts his eyes. "You're safe Helga."

 **Hey, once again I didn't get to edit this too much if you see anything that doesn't make sense let me know. I appreciate the reviews you guys are great!**


End file.
